



Story by Rick Berman & Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore Screenplay by Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore First Draft September 29, 1995 1 A BLACK VOID 1 We can hear movement. Strange skittering sounds, like razor-claws on metal... the hiss of pneumatic hoses... the whirr and click of servos... liquid gurgling... an eerie, alien cacophony. 2 EARTH 2 appears, hanging now in the starry blackness. The alien noises continue, and far in the distance we hear the muffled THUMP of what could be a distant explosion. Alien TEXT suddenly appears next to Earth, and we REVEAL we are in -- 3 INT. BORG RECON CENTER 3 The image of Earth is actually on a monitor, which is only one of DOZENS of MONITORS covering a huge wall. We don't see anything of the rest of the room, but the technology in view is distinctly alien and bizarre -- a mixture of organic and mechanical elements. Circuitry and optical cabling are side-by-side with what looks almost like arteries and organs. We can still hear the creepy skittering and gurgling noises. Occasionally, a SHADOWY FORM sweeps past the camera, vaguely humanoid but we can't tell who or what it is. All of the monitors are active, and they present myriad IMAGES and SOUND -- all related to EARTH HISTORY. The screens show everything from written Chinese... to Renaissance paintings... to black and white newsreel footage of World War Two... to what look like clips of space battles from the 24th century. The entire range of human history dancing across the monitors. The effect is dizzying -- we get the feeling that whoever is watching this is studying the human race. There is another THUMP and the wall of monitors SHUDDERS slightly. We hear the VOICE of what we will come to know as the BORG COLLECTIVE -- thousands of voices speaking at once : BORG Restrict search parameters to 1-9- 9-8 through 2-0-8-4. The images on the monitors now change to show us images from 21ST CENTURY Earth history. Again, it's a collection of still photography, video footage, text, artwork, etc. We hear snippets of sound- bites, music, speeches from the period. A lot of enticing details. As the images race across the monitors, we should learn the following. -- The turn of the 21st century brought chaos. Regional wars, the collapse of the United Nations. Societal break-down. Crime, starvation, desperation. -- A Third World War. Nuclear explosions, environmental disasters, tens of millions dead. The United States ceases to exist. All political authority vanishes. Humanity teetering on the edge of the Second Dark Age. -- The image of a single man -- ZEPHRAM COCHRANE. A visionary scientist. He see the spacecraft he created out of a nuclear missile. He flies the first warp test, breaking the light barrier. It changes history. -- Grainy black and white images of a VULCAN SCOUT SHIP landing on Earth. They saw Cochrane's flight, followed him back to Earth, and made First Contact with the human race. -- Humanity turns the corner. First Contact with an alien civilization brings the planet together as never before. Humans and Vulcans working together, beginning to solve long-standing problems with new technology. We see an early replicator producing food for the starving millions. A new World Government is formed. -- People from planet Earth and people from Vulcan form an Alliance. They call it the United Federation of Planets. And they commission a fleet of starships for protection and exploration. They call it Starfleet. -- These are images recounting the birth of the Star Trek universe. Another muffled EXPLOSION, this one stronger, SHAKES the entire wall. One of the monitors BLOWS OUT in a shower of sparks. And now a new voice, a woman's voice, low, threatening, with a slight metallic inflection, speaks for the first time: WOMAN'S VOICE Stop search. Calculate temporal coordinates. J-Fourteen. Another explosion ROCKS the room and it takes us to: 4 EXT. SPACE - A BORG SPHERE 4 A huge, spherical Borg warship as it takes a phaser shot from an unseen vessel. The BLAST smashes into the Borg Sphere, but the massive ship continues. The Sphere returns FIRE. FOLLOW the Borg fire to -- 5 A FEDERATION STARSHIP 5 locked in battle with the Borg Sphere. The Borg fire DESTROYS the Federation ship in a fiery blast. 6 NEW ANGLE 6 as the Borg Sphere flies away from the wreckage of the decimated starship, and as it does, we reveal that this is just one small part of -- 7 A MASSIVE SPACE BATTLE 7 involving dozens of Starfleet and Borg vessels, engaged in a fierce FIREFIGHT as far as the eye can see. Ships turning, twisting, firing, exploding. Lots of movement. It's a spectacular sight. The Borg Sphere is moving away from the battle, heading off in another direction. 8 NEW ANGLE 8 In the middle of the battle. A BORG CUBE is attacking a smaller Federation starship. The starship is taking quite a beating... explosions all along the hull... it doesn't look like it can take much more of this. Suddenly a spread of FOUR TORPEDOES come blazing in from O.C. The torpedoes SLAM into the Borg ship, causing massive damage. 9 THE USS ENTERPRISE NCC 1701-E 9 SOARS into view and moves to protect the beleaguered starship. The Enterprise is Starfleet's newest and most powerful vessel. An elegant and majestic ship. But unlike the last Enterprise, Starfleet has opted for a more muscular vessel and the hull is studded with weapons and other defensive armory. We get the feeling this Enterprise is ready for anything. 10 INT. ENTERPRISE-E - BRIDGE 10 The Bridge has been redesigned. A single Captain's chair dominates the room, and surrounding consoles and stations all face inward instead of out, giving Picard instant access to his officers. PICARD in the Captain's chair. RIKER at a new Ops station. DATA at the helm. WORF at Tactical. TROI at Communications, various CREWMEMBERS at their posts. The ship is at Red Alert and everyone is tense. PICARD Signal the Endeavor to fall back. We'll cover them. TROI Aye, sir. She works her console. 11 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE & BORG SHIP 11 The Endeavor moves off as the Borg FIRE at the Enterprise and BLASTS the saucer section. This should also produce an unusual effect -- instead of the traditional "bubble" shielding, the new armor of this Enterprise ABSORBS the blast and dissipates the energy across the hull. The ship is undamaged. 12 INT. BRIDGE 12 The ship is ROCKED by the blast. DATA Dispersive armor is holding. PICARD Bring us about. Target Borg ship alpha four, port side battery. WORF Port battery, ready sir! PICARD Fire. 13 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE 13 As RAPID PHASER SHOTS leap out from half a dozen points along the ship's port side. (NOTE: The phasers also look different, more along the lines of a gatling gun). The Borg Cube EXPLODES. The Enterprise flies through the debris. 14 INT. BRIDGE 14 Including MAIN VIEWSCREEN, which has a view of the chaotic battle surrounding them. Another Borg vessel looms into view. PICARD Starboard battery -- fire. 15 EXT. SPACE 15 The Enterprise fires a burst of phasers -- but this time, the phasers have no effect. We see a strange SHIELDING appears around the Borg ship. 16 INT. BRIDGE 16 On the main viewer, the massive Borg ship looms closer. DATA The Borg ship has modified its shields, Captain. Our phasers will no longer be effective. PICARD Ready quantum torpedo. WORF Aye, sir. Only three left. Another JOLT as we're hit. GEORDI'S COM VOICE La Forge to bridge. PICARD Go ahead. INTERCUT: 17 INT. MAIN ENGINEERING 17 Where GEORDI and N.D. Engineers are rushing about, hard at work. Geordi is no longer wearing his VISOR -- he now has artificial ocular implants for eyes. They have a distinctive electronic look to them. GEORDI Captain, I'm starting to worry about the hull integrity. We've been running the support field at full power for three hours straight. I don't know how much longer it's going to hold up. PICARD Understood. Keep me informed. END INTERCUT: 18 INT. BRIDGE 18 The Borg cube is huge on the main viewer as the Enterprise rushes toward it. TROI Incoming transmission from the Borg. PICARD On screen. Data works and the viewer changes to a view of the INTERIOR of the BORG CUBE. A vast CHAMBER crammed with HUNDREDS of BORG DRONES standing upright in individual alcoves. They're everywhere -- on the ceiling, walls, floor. This is a BORG COLLECTIVE -- hundreds of Borg that form a gigantic "hive" mind. The Borg are half- man/half machine. No individual personalities. No feelings. They have only one goal in life: to assimilate new races into their collective. To become a Borg is to experience living death. When they speak, they speak as a collective -- thousands of voices speaking as one: BORG Your defense perimeter is useless. You will be assimilated. PICARD (to Borg) Break off your attack. By now, you must realize you can't win... BORG Your opinion is irrelevant. We are the Borg. Resistance is futile. PICARD We'll see about that... (to Worf) Fire. Worf works. 19 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE - CLOSE ON TORPEDO BAY 19 A QUANTUM TORPEDO BLASTS out of the launcher and heads toward the Borg cube. This torpedo is completely different than the traditional photon torpedo. It oscillates and changes shape and color as it streaks toward the Borg ship. 20 THE BORG SHIP 20 as the quantum torpedo HITS IT. But instead of exploding on the surface, the torpedo PIERCES the ship like an armor-piercing shell and momentarily VANISHES from view. The ship then EXPLODES like a star going supernova -- bright light and shock waves. 21 INT. BRIDGE 21 The ship is ROCKED violently by the shock wave. People hanging on. DATA Main power still on-line, Captain. Riker looks at his console. RIKER Casualties are light, Captain. Minor buckling on the port nacelle. Nothing serious. WORF Incoming message from the Starship Intrepid. Admiral Hayes. PICARD On screen. The viewer shows ADMIRAL HAYES on the Bridge of his starship. ADMIRAL HAYES The new quantum torpedoes are doing the trick, Jean-Luc. We've destroyed forty-seven Borg ships so far... and only lost fifteen of our own. (beat) But one of the Borg ships has broken through our defenses, and it's heading directly for Earth. Can you handle it? PICARD Absolutely. ADMIRAL HAYES Good hunting. Hayes out. PICARD Mister Data, set a pursuit course. Maximum warp. 22 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE 22 as it breaks away from the battle...and races INTO WARP. 23 EXT. SPACE - EARTH 23 There are Starfleet satellites and space stations in close orbit. The Borg Sphere seen before enters frame. The satellites open fire, but they have little effect on the massive Borg Sphere, which returns fire, EXPLODING them in orbit. The Sphere heads down toward the Earth... 24 INT. BRIDGE 24 DATA We are approaching the Terran System, Captain. PICARD Go to impulse. Where's the Borg ship? DATA It has entered Earth orbit. (off console) Correction -- it is not in orbit. It is heading directly toward the surface. PICARD What? Picard gets up, moves to Data's console. RIKER (incredulous) Some sort of suicide tactic? DATA Unknown, sir. Suicide tactics are not normally associated with the Borg. Data reacts to his console. DATA Sensors show a temporal signature emanating from the Sphere. High concentrations of tachyons... Picard studies Data's monitor. PICARD And chronometric particles... it's as though they're trying to create a temporal vortex... A beat as Picard makes a shocking realization. PICARD Time travel... they're attempting time travel... (beat) Full power, Mister Data. Worf, quantum torpedoes at my command! WORF Aye, sir. 25 EXT. EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE 25 The Borg Sphere GLOWING RED and beginning to burn with friction as it PLUMMETS toward Earth... 26 NEW ANGLE - THE ENTERPRISE 26 plunging down into the atmosphere, giving chase... 27 INT. BRIDGE 27 Urgent. WORF Range -- fifty kilometers. DATA A temporal vortex is forming directly ahead of the Sphere. 28 EXT. EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE 28 Just ahead of the Sphere we see a TEMPORAL VORTEX opening -- a maelstrom of light and energy stretching into infinity. ENERGY explodes from the vortex as the Sphere begins to go inside... 29 THE ENTERPRISE 29 as it's HIT by the tremendous energy blast from the vortex. The ship spins around, nearly rips apart. 30 INT. BRIDGE 30 Everyone THROWN to the deck. Consoles sparking. Power failing. SHAKING. RIKER Main power off-line! DATA Switching to emergency back-ups. Riker checks a console. RIKER We're caught in some kind of energy wake from the vortex... PICARD Worf... torpedo... now! Worf works... 31 EXT. EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE 31 Another QUANTUM TORPEDO is launched from the Enterprise. But just before it hits the Borg Sphere, the Sphere VANISHES inside the vortex. The torpedo hits the roiling energy of the Vortex and detonates with a harmless flash. The Vortex itself starts COLLAPSING... 32 INT. BRIDGE 32 The shaking subsides. DATA I have helm control. PICARD Where's the Sphere? WORF They have traveled into the vortex... through time. Disturbed reactions. DATA The vortex is collapsing, sir. PICARD Contact Starfleet Command. WORF No response. (reacts to console) I'm not reading any Starfleet com traffic in this entire sector. TROI (off console) Captain, I've scanned the planet. The atmosphere contains a high concentration of methane, carbon monoxide and fluorine. The oceans have been chemically altered, as well. PICARD On screen. She works, and on the View screen EARTH appears as seen from orbit. The crystal blue marble is now covered by a thick, turbulent DARK ATMOSPHERE -- polluted and ugly. Reactions. PICARD Life signs? TROI Population... thirty-five billion... (reacts) All Borg. A shocking moment. DATA (off console) The planet's surface is covered with Borg technology. (beat) So is the moon... and three other planets in this solar system. TROI But how? PICARD They must've done it in the past... they went back and changed history... RIKER (stunned) They did it... they assimilated Earth. WORF But if they changed history... then why are we still here? DATA We were caught in the temporal wake from the vortex. It must have protected us from any changes in the time-line. Worf's console sounds an alarm. WORF Captain, there are five Borg ships closing in on our position. PICARD (making a decision) Data, set a course for that vortex. TROI Captain...? PICARD We have to follow them back... repair whatever damage they've done to that time-line. DATA (working) Course laid in. Engaging impulse engines. The ship is suddenly ROCKED. 33 EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE & BORG SHIPS (OPTICAL) 33 The Enterprise is being chased by FIVE BORG SHIPS as it heads down toward the planet. The Borg vessels FIRE on the Enterprise. 34 INT. BRIDGE 34 As before. The ship is shaking. WORF Hull integrity down to thirty percent... PICARD Steady as she goes. 35 INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL) 35 Ahead of the ship, we see the VORTEX collapsing. The shaking increases. A console EXPLODES. WORF Borg vessels are closing to two thousand meters. The ship is HIT AGAIN AND AGAIN. On the View Screen, we're nearly on the vortex, but it's closing fast. PICARD Take us in! 36 EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE & VORTEX (OPTICAL) 36 The Enterprise just barely makes it inside the vortex as it finally COLLAPSES. Both the Enterprise and the vortex VANISH. CUT TO: 37 EXT. SPACE 37 An empty star field. Suddenly, the VORTEX APPEARS and the Enterprise comes ROARING out into space. The vortex VANISHES behind the ship. 38 INT. BRIDGE 38 The shaking subsides. Everyone exchanges a look, tries to re-orient themselves. PICARD Report. RIKER We're still in Earth orbit. PICARD On screen. 39 INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN 39 Which shows Earth. The Borg pollution is gone. PICARD What year is it? DATA (working) According to our astrometric readings... the year is 2063. WORF Captain, I've found the Borg Sphere. It's on the far side of the planet...firing at the surface. PICARD (to Data) Intercept course, full impulse. (to Worf) Weapons status? WORF Phasers are off-line... we have two quantum torpedoes left. But the computer targeting system has been destroyed. PICARD Go to manual. Worf pops open a panel and a high-tech TARGETING console emerges with a small MONITOR and a traditional CROSS- HAIR in the center. Worf grabs the targeting hand- controls -- futuristic joysticks. 40 EXT. SPACE - THE BORG SPHERE 40 The ship is FIRING its weapons down toward the planet as the Enterprise comes up over the horizon. 41 INT. BRIDGE 41 As before. Worf works his controls. A complex array of grids, coordinate information, speed data, and other weapons info on the monitor screen. He begins trying to focus the cross-hairs on the Sphere. PICARD (over above action, to Troi) Track their weapons fire. TROI (off console) Western hemisphere... North American continent... DATA We are within torpedo range. RIKER They've seen us. They're taking evasive action. PICARD (urgent) Mister Worf? Worf struggles with the targeting system. WORF Target... The crosshairs keep missing the image of the Borg Sphere, which is now twisting and turning to evade us. Troi reacts to her console. TROI Captain, they're firing at a nuclear missile silo... in central Montana. WORF (struggling) Target... PICARD (worried) Montana... The crosshairs finally LOCK on the Borg Sphere. WORF Target locked! PICARD Fire! 42 EXT. SPACE - THE BORG SPHERE 42 The quantum torpedo streaks in from off-camera and slams into the Borg ship. It penetrates the Sphere as seen before... a long beat... and then it EXPLODES. 43 INT. BRIDGE 43 As everyone reacts to the destruction of the Sphere. But Picard has no time for celebration. PICARD (to Data) Mister Data, I want to know the exact date and time. (to Riker) Give me a damage report on that missile silo. DATA (works) Today is March second, 2063. The time in Montana is oh-eight-forty- five. RIKER (works) Looks like they damaged the silo... PICARD Life signs? RIKER Can't tell. Long-range bio- sensors are off-line. Picard thinks for a moment... makes an instant decision and turns to Worf. PICARD Worf, have Doctor Crusher, Mister La Forge and a security team meet me in Transporter Room Three. Civilian clothes. WORF Aye, sir. Worf works. Riker turns to him, curious. RIKER Captain? PICARD In twenty-four hours, Zephram Cochrane is supposed to conduct the very first warp test... from a missile silo in Montana. If I'm right, the Borg were trying to change the course of human history by killing him or destroying his ship. RIKER (nods in understanding) And if they succeed, humans won't make First Contact with the Vulcans tomorrow. (beat) As First Officer I should be the one beaming down... PICARD Normally, I would agree. But in this case, the mission requires a certain knowledge of 21st century history. You're many things, Number One, but you're not much of an historian. He grins slightly, has to agree. RIKER Good luck, sir. PICARD I'll keep in contact. You have the Bridge. Picard EXITS... CUT TO: 44 INT. TRANSPORTER ROOM 44 Picard, Geordi and THREE SECURITY GUARDS are checking their phasers and tricorders. Everyone is wearing civilian clothes. Geordi has a large engineering kit... Transporter Chief pulling on a civilian jacket. She looks a little frazzled - it's been a long day in Sickbay. BEVERLY Will somebody please tell me where we're going? Beverly joins them on the pad. PICARD Montana. (to Chief) Energize. BEVERLY Montana? Well, that answers everything. Why the hell are we -- They DEMATERIALIZE. CUT TO: 45 EXT. MONTANA PLAINS - CONTINUOUS - DAY 45 Picard, Geordi, Beverly and the Security Team MATERIALIZE on the vast, rolling plains of Montana. BEVERLY (continuing) -- going to Montana? Picard and Geordi take out their tricorders and start scanning the landscape. GEORDI (off tricorder) I have the silo, sir. Bearing three one zero... distance, three hundred meters. PICARD Let's go. They start walking... BEVERLY Go where? Hello? Is anyone going to tell me what we're doing here? PICARD We're here to find Zephram Cochrane. He may be injured or dead. BEVERLY Cochrane... the inventor of warp drive? PICARD Yes... BEVERLY But he's been dead for three hundred... (realizes, long sigh) Oh God... we've gone back in time again, haven't we? PICARD I'm afraid so. If the Borg succeed in preventing First Contact with the Vulcans... Earth will remain in the Second Dark Age... an easy target when the Borg arrive in the 24th century. BEVERLY Well, why didn't you just say so in the first place? Picard gives her a look. As they keep walking... CUT TO: 46 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE 46 hanging in orbit of Earth. 47 INT. ENGINEERING 47 CLOSE ON A DEAD CREWMEMBER lying on her back. A sheet is covering her face. A hand reaches in, pulls back the sheet, revealing the face of a crewman. TROI Lieutenant Sandra Farrel. WIDEN to REVEAL Troi and Data. Data is holding back the sheet while Troi scans the body with a tricorder. There is repair work going on in the b.g. Two medical N.D.s stand by. TROI It appears death was caused by a plasma discharge. (beat) I'll note in her record that she never left her post. Troi glances at Data, who is clearly disturbed by the sight of the dead woman, holding his EMOTIONS in check with difficulty. TROI Did you know her? DATA Not very well. We met shortly after the Enterprise-E was commissioned. I found her to be a most... promising officer. Troi looks at him in concern. TROI Data... are you sure you're all right? DATA I am still having difficulty integrating certain emotions into my programming. Grief, loss, remorse... TROI We still have to make reports on ten more crewmen killed in action. Maybe you should deactivate your emotion chip until we're done. Data considers. DATA No. Human beings do not have that luxury, and neither should I. TROI I will admit... there are times when I wish I had an emotion chip I could turn on and off. RIKER'S COM VOICE Riker to Data. DATA (taps combadge) Go ahead, Commander. INTERCUT: 48 INT. BRIDGE 48 Riker, Worf, N.D.s at their stations. RIKER We're reading some kind of gas leak in the Environmental Control Room. Take a repair team down and check it out. DATA On my way, Commander. As Data EXITS... 49 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE 49 A WIDE SHOT of the ship. CAMERA CLOSES ON the AFT SECTION of the ship, moving underneath of the hull, pushing in on an area at the very bottom of the Enterprise. 50 INT. ENVIROMENTAL CONTROL 50 Data and ENSIGN PORTER ENTER through a set of doors. The lights are off in the room, dim. This is a large room crammed with many conduits, gas tanks, 24th century machinery and monitors. It's normally unmanned -- this is where oxygen, gravity, heat, and other environmental conditions of the ship are controlled. In a far corner of the room a CONDUIT leading to a series of high-pressure TANKS labeled "D-O2" has ruptured and is SPEWING a corrosive, poisonous GAS. Data scans it with his tricorder. DATA (to Porter) One of the diathermic oxygen tanks has been damaged. PORTER (shocked) Diathermic oxygen? DATA It is a new subsystem of Nova Class ships. It regulates hydropressure and temperature variance. (beat) Remain here. The gas is highly corrosive to organic material. It would liquefy your flesh on contact. PORTER Be my guest, sir. Data walks over to the spewing gas tank, and without concern shoves both hands into the corrosive gas... ... groping around for the broken conduit, finally grabs hold of it... and with android strength BENDS the metal conduit back into the bulkhead. The gas stops leaking. Data is completely unaffected by the corrosive gas. DATA (to Porter) Begin a diagnostic on the safety interlocks. There appears to have been some damage during the attack. PORTER Right. Porter moves around a corner, behind some equipment, out of Data's vision... 51 NEW ANGLE - PORTER 51 who opens a PANEL on the wall. But instead of the neat and orderly Starfleet technology, he is confronted by a bizarre amalgam of organic and mechanical cabling, diodes and what almost look like arteries. Some of the tubes are pulsing with fluids and energy. Porter reacts. PORTER What the hell... Porter pulls aside a large conduit and stops. Buried deep within the tangle of bio-circuits is what looks like a HUMAN FACE covered with cybernetic tubes and chips. It's barely discernable in the darkness and clutter. Porter isn't even sure what he's looking at. He leans in for a closer look... and suddenly the eyes open. 52 DATA 52 who hears a THUMP and a sickening liquid CRUNCH from off camera. He takes a few steps in that direction. DATA Ensign Porter? He stands there for a moment, puzzled. Then a faint SKITTERING SCRAPE can be heard -- like tiny claws on a metal surface. He whirls at the sound. DATA Ensign... are you all right? No response. Data walks around the now deathly quiet room... turns the corner to where Porter was working. He's gone. The open panel is still there, and there doesn't appear to be any place Porter could've gone. Data looks puzzled, takes a step forward when his boots make a squishing sound. He looks down... DATA (taps combadge) Data to Bridge. No response. DATA Data to Security. (beat) This is Lieutenant Data to anyone who can hear my signal. I need assistance in the Environmental Control Room. Nothing. Data quickly turns and heads for the door. There's a metallic SCRAPE above him and he looks up -- 53 TWO BORG 53 are climbing to the ceiling like two spiders ready to pounce. One of them has Porter and appears to be inserting some horrible Borg device into his head. Before Data can react, the second Borg suddenly lunges at Data. CUT TO: 54 EXT. MONTANA PLAINS - MISSILE SILO - DAY 54 The SILO is buried deep underground, but on the surface there is a large, poured concrete MISSILE DOOR. Built to withstand a nuclear blast, the door has nevertheless been badly charred and damaged by the Borg attack from orbit. There are large, smoking CRATERS all around. Part of the ground seems to have COLLAPSED to a depth of ten feet, like a sinkhole nearby. Picard and his team approach. GEORDI This must be it. PICARD How serious is the damage? GEORDI (off tricorder) I'm having trouble scanning underground. There's a lot of radiation leaking from something. PICARD Probably from the nuclear warhead. Cochrane was planning to use it to ignite the warp drive. As they speak, Beverly pulls out a hypospray and gives everyone injections. BEVERLY This will protect us from the radiation. Geordi moves to the thick, concrete missile door, scans it. GEORDI I'm picking up faint life signs twenty meters below. PICARD There should be an access hatch nearby... Everyone spreads out... looking for the hatch. One of the guards -- LANGE -- finds it. LANGE Over here. Everyone rushes over to him. There's a small HATCH on the ground that has been partially hidden by weeds and brush. Geordi kneels down, starts working a complex- looking LOCK on the hatch. GEORDI Alphanumeric lock. We need a password to get in... PICARD I have the password right here. Picard pulls out his phaser and everyone steps back. He aims and FIRES at the hatch, which is BLOWN OPEN, revealing a ladder that leads down into the darkness. As they start to crawl inside... 55 INT. MISSILE SILO - CONTROL ROOM 55 This is the "mission control" for Cochrane's test site. The underground room is filled with 21st century equipment, consoles and monitors. One entire wall of the room is dominated by a huge METAL BLAST DOOR, which is now closed. We will learn that on the other side of that door is the nuclear missile/warp ship itself. The ceiling has partially collapsed. Chunks of concrete and fallen beams have destroyed some of the equipment...Only a few of the consoles are active, most are dark or fritzing sporadically. The lights are out, and the room is illuminated by a few smoldering fires. Four dead bodies can be seen strewn around the room. It's a scene of destruction. 56 PICARD 56 and his team ENTER the dark and smoking ruin. Beverly and Picard move to one of the dead men, while Geordi and the Security Guards move to the other three. Beverly rolls the man onto his back -- he's clearly dead. The name stitched on his uniform says Rippert. Picard looks up. PICARD (to others) See if any of these men are Cochrane. Geordi and the Guards start checking the dead bodies. GEORDI Mitchell... DePaul... LANGE This one's a woman... named Kirby. Picard and Beverly move toward the immense blast door. As Beverly scans it, Picard glances at a nearby desk... 57 THE DESK 57 is littered with debris and various documents and schematics. THREE PHOTOGRAPHS are pinned to a bulletin board above the desk -- they show Zephram Cochrane and two angles of his warp ship. The photos are odd- looking, printed on what appears to be some sort of cloth. BEVERLY There's a life sign behind this door... about ten meters below. Geordi moves to the door. GEORDI Blast door. It's designed to protect the control room when the missile is launched. PICARD There should be some kind of manual release... They hunt around for a moment. Geordi runs his hand along the edge of the blast door. Picard turns to the Guards. PICARD (to Lange) Get those fires out and then try to restore main power to the control room. LANGE Aye, sir. The Guards move off. GEORDI Got it, Captain. Geordi has found an emergency BOX with several pneumatic tubes and a hydraulic lever labeled "emergency use only." He pulls down the lever, there is a hissing sound, and the blast door slowly SLIDES DOWN into the floor. We can now see the MISSILE SILO itself beyond the door. Picard, Geordi and Beverly step into... 58 INT. MISSILE SILO - CONTINUOUS 58 Picard, Geordi and Beverly step onto the catwalk, which surrounds the Silo walls. In the middle is the WARP SHIP itself. It should look like an advanced ICBM missile with a COCKPIT in place of the warhead, and with numerous modifications to the fuselage. The cockpit is on the same level as the control room. On the side of the missile is the name "Phoenix". The missile itself extends down another FOUR STORIES. There are other catwalks below this one, with ladders connecting the different levels. Beverly sees something below. BEVERLY There. 59 NEW ANGLE 59 Two catwalks below we can see a man sprawled on the grating. They all scramble down the ladders past the massive missile. (NOTE: Because of the design of the Silo, we will see the entire missile only in a few shots. For the most part, our view is limited to sections of the missile.) Beverly reaches the man, who is lying face-down on the metal grating. She scans him... BEVERLY Severe radiation exposure... Geordi looks over at the section of the missile on their level. The side panels have been removed, revealing complex circuitry within. Picard joins Beverly, who turns over the injured man. It's ZEPHRAM COCHRANE -- the man whose picture we saw on the Borg monitors. Beverly begins pulling devices out of her medkit, injects Cochrane with a hypospray. Cochrane is a man in his mid-forties. He has a youthful, dynamic appearance marred by recent radiation burns. PICARD It's Cochrane. BEVERLY I've stabilized him for now... but he's in a coma and he's going to need radiometric therapy. I want to take him to the ship. Picard nods, reaches into his pants pocket, takes out a combadge. PICARD Picard to Enterprise. (no response) Enterprise, please respond. GEORDI It could be the radiation, Captain. Try from the surface. Picard nods... then takes a deep breath, tries to orient himself to the task at hand... there's a lot at stake and a lot to do. He turns to Geordi. PICARD Mister La Forge, listen very carefully. If you remember your history... in less than twenty- four hours, a Vulcan ship will be passing through this system. When it does, this ship needs to be in space, flying at warp speed. Geordi takes a deep breath, it's a tall order. GEORDI I'd better get started. Geordi goes to work. Picard bends down and carefully hoists Cochrane up into a fireman's carry. Beverly follows him up the catwalk... CUT TO: 60 EXT. MISSILE SILO - DAY 60 Minutes later. Cochrane is lying on the ground. Beverly is kneeling beside him, unfolding a portable stretcher from her medkit. Picard is checking two combadges with a tricorder. PICARD It's not the radiation... and there's nothing wrong with the combadges... the Enterprise just isn't responding. BEVERLY Jean-Luc, this man needs medical attention, now. PICARD As I recall, the town of Resurrection is about two kilometers East of here. They might have a hospital... Picard looks troubled at the thought. BEVERLY What are we waiting for? Let's go. PICARD It may not be that simple. This is an extremely difficult and paranoid time in human history. BEVERLY Are you saying they won't help us? PICARD I'm saying they might shoot us on sight. You have to remember... these people have watched their entire way of life collapse around them. BEVERLY There must be some good people... even in this time. PICARD Let's hope so. Because if Cochrane dies... the future may die with him. Picard kneels down and they begin to carefully put Cochrane on the stretcher... CUT TO: 61 INT. ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE 61 Riker, Troi and Worf studying a MONITOR which shows a three-dimensional DIAGRAM of the Enterprise, which turns and rotates as needed. The schematic shows battle damage and repair efforts. WORF I have assigned two damage control teams to locate the source of our communication problems. So far, they've had no success. RIKER Assign another team if you need to. I want to re-establish communication with the Captain as soon as possible. Worf nods and begins making notes on a PADD. TROI Are we in any danger of being detected by Earth defense systems? WORF There were no planetary defense systems in this era. Their weapons were designed to fight each other... not extraterrestrials. RIKER We have to start thinking about a way to get home. (to Troi) Analyze our readings from the temporal vortex. We're going to have to recreate whatever the Borg did to -- Just then the ship SHUDDERS and the LIGHTS FLICKER. RIKER Report. TROI (off console) We just lost main power... and we've got Class-Three alerts all over the ship. I'm not sure what's -- An ALARM goes off on Worf's console. He reacts to it. WORF A ship-wide decompression has been initiated! RIKER What? TROI We're venting our internal atmosphere directly into space! 62 EXT. ENTERPRISE 62 CLOSE ON THE SAUCER as vents and hatches POP OPEN on the hull and GIANT JETS OF VAPOR start blowing out into space. 63 INT. CORRIDOR 63 Crewmembers walking along are suddenly KNOCKED to the floor as hurricane force WINDS blow through the Corridor. The ship is venting air into space, creating a virtual VACUUM inside the ship! The people in the corridor grab onto the bulkheads, struggling to hang on against the force of the wind... 64 INT. BRIDGE 64 Suddenly an emergency AIRLOCK on the Bridge OPENS. VIOLENT WIND roars through the Bridge and everyone hangs on. Troi is ripped out of her chair, flown across the Bridge, slams up against the bulkhead, struggling to hang on. Worf runs over, grabs her arm, keeps her from flying out. Riker manages to reach a control panel -- hits a button and an EMERGENCY BULKHEAD finally slides down over the airlock and the wind DIES DOWN. Everyone takes a beat. RIKER What the hell is happening, Worf? WORF (off console) It appears that someone has taken over the Environmental Control Room. TROI Someone...? RIKER (realizing) The Borg. Some of them must've beamed over before we destroyed their ship. (to Worf) Seal off that entire deck with emergency force fields. TROI Wil... Data was down there. RIKER (to Worf) Mister Worf... find Data if you can, but your top priority is isolating the Borg. WORF Understood. Worf heads for a Turbolift. OFF Riker's disturbed expression... CUT TO: 65 CLOSE ON DATA'S FACE 65 His eyes are closed. There's a beat, then his eyes fly open and he looks around. We PULL BACK slightly, revealing Data is lying on some kind of tabletop with metallic clamps and restraints. He tenses his arm and tries to move, but he is unable to break the restraints. About two feet in front of his face is what appears to be a bulkhead. There is a cacophony of strange background NOISE -- scratching, hisses, gurgling liquids, odd alien hums... Suddenly, the table begins to MOVE. It ROTATES, and as it does so we realize that Data has been hanging upside down staring at the floor. It's a disorienting moment as our perspective changes and Data rotates upright. 66 DATA'S POV 66 As the table gyrates, we REVEAL the ROOM slowly. And we realize we're in -- 67 INT. BORG HIVE 67 The Environmental Control Room seen earlier has now been transformed into the INNER-SANCTUM of the BORG. The room has a dark, moist, organic feel -- a tropical jungle of cybernetic equipment. The Borg are altering the room, converting Starfleet technology and materials into the living, bio- mechanical look of the Borg. We see one Borg drone attach a small pod to a Starfleet console and activate it. The pod immediately sends out a COMPLEX WEB of BORG TECHNOLOGY which covers the Starfleet console inside and out. It's like weeds overpowering a flower bed -- within seconds the console has been BORGIFIED. The walls, ceiling and floor are now honeycombed with the ALCOVES that make up the BORG COLLECTIVE. Borg drones are motionless in their alcoves, cabling and other conduits connecting them to various equipment... while other Borg are moving about the room, carrying out various modifications to the room. At one point, we see Ensign Porter. He's been completely Borgified. His skin pale, expression blank. No hint of humanity left. 68 DATA 68 still strapped to the table, which is twisting and rotating, giving him frightening new glimpses of the room. A new image appears -- SIX BORG DRONES are clustered together in one section of the room, each with an elaborate series of hoses and conduits connected to its face. Through the tubes we can see an exchange of FLUID and ENERGY pulsing back and forth -- some sort of bizarre "feeding" or "renewal" is going on. The tubes all seem to lead toward the ceiling. Data is now horizontal on his back and the table LOCKS into position. A Borg drone OPENS A PANEL on the side of Data's head, and begins connecting a thick bundle of optical cabling to it. DATA (to Borg) Your efforts to assimilate me will be unsuccessful. The Borg ignores him, activates a console... and the cabling connected to Data's head LIGHTS UP with power. They're trying to connect him to the Collective. Data thinks for a moment, tilts his head slightly... and then suddenly there's a SHOWER of SPARKS from the cabling he's been connected to. The lights on the cable go out. Data has thwarted their attempts. DATA (to Borg) It would appear that resistance is not always futile. Suddenly a new VOICE is heard echoing through the room -- a woman's voice, low, seductive, deadly: WOMAN'S VOICE Brave words. I've heard them before from thousands of species across thousands of worlds... since long before you were created. Data looks up toward... 69 THE CEILING 69 A RUSTLE of MOVEMNET somewhere in the cyber-tangle... almost like a snake slithering beneath the weeds. And for a brief instant we get a glimpse of a FACE unlike any Borg we've ever seen. The face of a woman. Pale- skinned... piercing eyes...raven hair slicked back... a hauntingly beautiful image in a sea of nightmarish technology. And then it's gone. 70 DATA 70 Frowns. He saw it, too, but he's not sure what to make of it. WOMAN'S VOICE But now... they are all one with the Borg. DATA I am unlike any lifeform you have encountered before. As an android, I am in complete control of my neural net. The information contained there cannot be forcibly removed. WOMAN'S VOICE You are an imperfect being... created by an imperfect being. Finding your weakness is only a matter of time. Suddenly three Borg drones converge on Data with various wicked-looking Borg devices. One of the Borg has a specialized cybernetic ARM, which EXTRUDES a series of stiletto-tipped DRILL SPIKES. As the six- inch spikes begin to BORE INTO Data's head... CUT TO: 71 EXT. MONTANA - RESURRECTION CITY - DAY 71 Resurrection is a small town -- around 1,000 people -- a rural, Western community that's probably existed for at least two hundred years, and we can see the roots of the original ranching community in some of the architecture. But it's also a community of the 21st century. The most striking feature of the town is that it sits in the middle of nearly a hundred WIND MILLS, which provide the only source of power for the town. The blades are enormous, but the structures supporting them are little more than simple poles. Some are sleek, fiberglass, futuristic... others have a more cobbled together, make-shift appearance. At the moment, only a few blades are turning in the gentle breeze. Picard and Beverly emerge from the nearby woods carrying the stretcher. They exchange a look at the sight of the city and then head toward it... 72 EXT. RESURRECTION CITY - DAY 72 A few minutes later. Picard and Beverly carrying Cochrane down the street toward the hospital at the end. As they walk along, we get our first taste of post-apocalyptic 21st century life: This is a recognizable American community, but it's definitely a futuristic town. Clothing, architecture, technology -- all have changed over the course of seventy years. But it is a broken future. What used to be high-tech public COMPUTER TERMINALS are rusted and abandoned. We can see the corroded hulks of HOVER- CARS lying idle in the streets. Futuristic elements now useless. At one point, they pass a large polyurethane TENT -- the inside surface is covered with condensation and we can see the silhouettes of people moving within. The entrance is guarded by a single Militia Guard. Later we will learn that this is a primitive greenhouse, the only place where they can grow uncontaminated food. What used to be a McDonald's, or some other recognizable food chain, has now been gutted and has been turned into a kind of blacksmith shop. People are fashioning metal into various tools using hammer and tongs. The sidewalks are populated with PEOPLE, who congregate in small groups, quietly talking amongst themselves, others just staring vacantly off into space. Many of them have visible burn scars and damage to their bodies -- victims of the war and post-nuclear environmental dangers. A few of them are applying a special lotion to their arms and face -- protection against the toxic elements. A long FOOD LINE snakes around a block, as people line up to get their daily rations. A few people glance up at Picard and Beverly with curious or suspicious looks. This is not a community that welcomes strangers. At one point, they see a man dressed in futuristic CAMOUFLAGE carrying an automatic weapon -- we will learn he's a MILITIA SOLDIER. He stares at them with a neutral expression, then walks off. The people here have that hollow-eyed, listless look about them. They're going through something that makes the Great Depression look like a minor inconvenience. But there's also a toughness to these people, a resilience and determination to survive in the face of overwhelming odds. We are looking at our future... and it's on the verge of collapse. CUT TO: 73 INT. HOSPITAL - EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY 73 A short time later. Cochrane is being lifted onto an operating table. Picard and Beverly step back from the table as a DOCTOR and two NURSES look him over. The doctor is in his early fifties and has a weathered, tired look to him. The hospital itself is like the rest of the town -- a futuristic setting fallen on hard times. The light in the room is provided mostly from the sunlight streaming in through the windows. Light bulbs and other gear flicker dimly around the hospital -- we get the feeling they have very little power. DOCTOR How long has he been unconscious? BEVERLY At least four hours. He checks Cochran's head injury as Beverly takes out her tricorder and scans him. DOCTOR It looks like he has a cranial fracture, but I'll need X-rays to be sure. (to Nurse) Get Ruby in here. One of the nurses runs off. BEVERLY (off tricorder) He has a severe fracture of the left occipital plate. He's not hemorrhaging... but the radiation has damaged his KNA and his APR cell count... He looks at her curiously. DOCTOR "APR cell count?" What the hell are you talking about? PICARD (quickly) Doctor Crusher has been... studying some advanced medical theories. NURSE (re: tricorder) What is that? BEVERLY It's a... new medical scanner. It's a little more precise than an X-ray machine. The Doctor eyes it. DOCTOR Is it Japanese? BEVERLY Um... yeah. (beat) Now he's going to need a respirator. Do you have one? DOCTOR We have two... but we don't have the juice to run them. PICARD Juice? DOCTOR Power. There hasn't been a lot of wind through here for the last couple of weeks. Most of the batteries are depleted. BEVERLY Don't you have any generators, or other fuel sources? The Doctor throws her an irritated look. DOCTOR Maybe you'd like to take your patient to the hospital in Bozemen... it's only two hundred miles away. Cochrane wheezes -- breathing becoming labored and ragged. Beverly scans him, urgent. BEVERLY His automatic reflexes are fluctuating. We've got to get him on a respirator. DOCTOR (to Nurse) Bag him. The nurse picks up a portable respirator sack -- puts it on Cochrane's face and squeezes the bag, forcing air into Cochrane's lungs. Picard has been thinking through this scene, finally has a solution. PICARD Beverly -- your tricorder. She hands him her tricorder. PICARD (to Doctor) Where's the battery room for the hospital? DOCTOR I told you, there's no -- PICARD Where? DOCTOR Outside, around back. Next to the water tank. Picard rushes out the doors. Beverly checks Cochrane's pulse. BEVERLY His heartbeat's irregular... Beverly climbs up on top of Cochrane, straddling him, begins giving him 24th century CPR. She takes charge. BEVERLY Adrenaline -- ten CC's! As they rush to save him. 74 EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY 74 The back of the building. Picard rushes out and spots an old, dilapidated BATTERY UNIT providing power to the hospital. He quickly yanks off the back panel, revealing a tangle of wires, and several large batteries. He kneels down, then removes the back of the tricorder. 75 CLOSE ON TRICORDER 75 as Picard pulls out a small POWER CELL -- about half the size of a dime. The blinkies on the tricorder go out. 76 PICARD 76 holds the power cell with one hand, and starts pulling out wires from the batteries with the other. 77 INT. HOSPITAL - EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY 77 As before. Beverly, the doctor and the nurse trying to save Cochrane. BEVERLY (pumping his chest) One... two... three... compress! The nurse squeezes the bag. Suddenly the room is filled with the HUM of POWER and ALL OF THE LIGHTS AND EQUIPMENT COME TO LIFE. Monitors blinking, fluorescent lights flashing on. Everyone reacts with shock. 78 INT. HOSPITAL WARD - DAY 78 It's filled with patients. The lights and equipment here FLASH ON, as well. Doctors and patients alike react with surprise. 79 INT. HOSPITAL - EMERGENCY ROOM - DAY 79 Picard enters. They've placed a RESPIRATOR down Cochrane's throat, and attached electrodes to his chest. Beverly has just finished giving him an injection with a hypospray. The heart monitor in the background is now beating regularly. The doctor turns to Picard. DOCTOR What did you do to the batteries? PICARD Oh... just a little tinkering. How is he? BEVERLY He's stable... for now. (with meaning) But it would be better if we could contact... our friends. PICARD Yes. But until then, you'll have to make do with what you've got. BEVERLY That'll be interesting. A WOMAN'S VOICE: RUBY'S VOICE What happened to him? Everyone turns. 80 NEW ANGLE 80 revealing RUBY SLOANE standing at the front of Cochrane's bed. A striking woman in her mid-to-late thirties -- dark hair, tall, lean, beautiful under normal circumstances but at the moment she's not at her best, it looks like she's just come in from a hard day's work. She's wearing an old lab coat. But the most striking quality of all is the innate intelligence we can see in her eyes. She's looking directly at Picard for an answer. Picard realizes he has to say something. He looks into her eyes and there is a moment here -- a brief spark of chemistry that in normal circumstances the Captain just might follow up. But at the moment, he shoves that electric feeling aside and tries to give her an answer. PICARD There was some kind of explosion out at the missile silo... She looks at him for a moment, her eyes boring into him without expression, as though probing the truthfulness of his statement. DOCTOR Ruby, we're going to need a series of cranial X-rays tonight. RUBY (nods) I have a fresh set of plates at home. I'll have them here by eight. She turns back to Cochrane, moves to his side, gently takes his hand and looks at him with sad affection. RUBY (quiet) Take care of him. He's a very special man. PICARD Yes, he is. She looks up at Picard, and again there's a slight feeling of chemistry in the air. And then she turns and starts to walk out of the room. Picard's combadge BEEPS. Reactions. GEORDI'S COM VOICE La Forge to Picard. RUBY (stopping) I think there's someone in your pants. PICARD Excuse me. I have a... telephone call. Picard takes a few steps away, pulls the combadge out of his pants pocket, taps it. Ruby watches him a beat, then walks out of the room. PICARD Picard here. GEORDI'S COM VOICE Captain, we have a problem. I think you'd better get back here. PICARD I'm on my way. Picard out. Picard moves to Beverly. PICARD (sotto) I have to go back to the silo. Will you be all right? BEVERLY I'll be fine. (re: Cochrane) He's a different story. Beverly begins examining the medical equipment she'll have to work with as Picard exits... 81 EXT. RESURRECTION CITY STREET - DAY 81 A short time later. Picard walking down the main street back toward the gates. People passing him, taking no notice of him...Picard's mind thinking ahead. He happens to glance down a side street, then he stops. 82 NEW ANGLE 82 Looking down the side street. Ruby, the mysterious woman from the hospital, is walking along with a camera bag now slung over her shoulder. She stops for a moment as she passes the hulk of a burnt-out old hover car... stares at it...then pulls a home-made FUTURISTIC CAMERA out of her bag and snaps a picture of the car. She continues on her way. Picard is intrigued -- wonders about this woman and what it is she could be taking a picture of. Just then -- MAN'S VOICE Catch. Picard turns just in time to catch a small, metal canister with a screw-top. The man who threw it steps into view. It's LIEUTENANT SCRIMM. Scrimm is the head of the town's militia. While not a physically threatening man, there is a quietly disturbing quality about him which conveys an intelligence laced with a tightly reined volatility. He's wearing futuristic combat fatigues and always carries a sidearm. Before the war, Scrimm was probably one of the "survivalists" who used to be dismissed as radicals until their predictions of Armageddon came true. At the moment, Scrimm is presenting his friendliest face to Picard. SCRIMM (pleasant) Think you'll need that. Picard eyes the canister, not sure what to make of it. SCRIMM It's no zone solution. (off his look) You know. "No ozone." He points to the sky. PICARD Oh... yes... ultraviolet protection. Thank you. Mister...? SCRIMM Lieutenant, actually. Lieutenant Jonathan Scrimm. I'm the head of the Resurrection Protective Force. (beat) And you are? PICARD Jean-Luc Picard. SCRIMM Great name. French? PICARD Yes. SCRIMM You don't sound French. Scrimm is still smiling at him, but his eyes never leave Picard. PICARD I was raised in England and here in the States. Thank you for the... no zone. Picard begins to walk away, not wanting to engage any citizens of the town. Scrimm falls in next to him. SCRIMM Where in the States? PICARD Oh... here and there. You know how it is. SCRIMM Not really. I was born and raised right here. Never had much use for travel. He casually steps in front of Picard, blocking his way. SCRIMM Where are you from most recently? PICARD (thinking fast) California. San Francisco. SCRIMM Beautiful city. Used to be, anyway. I didn't think anyone still lived there. PICARD There's a few of us left. Picard steps around him and continues walking down the street. Scrimm waits a beat, then walks after him again. SCRIMM That was a pretty clever trick you did with the hospital's batteries. How'd you do it? PICARD It wasn't a trick. I used to be an electrical engineer. SCRIMM Huh. He steps in front of Picard again, still pleasant but a little bit of a smile fading from his face. Picard realizes he isn't going to shake this man so easily. SCRIMM And what were you doing out at the missile silo? PICARD I'm an old friend of Cochrane's... I wanted to see how he was doing. SCRIMM Lucky for him you came by when you did. He might be dead now. PICARD Yes. SCRIMM Maybe you can tell me what he's been doing in that silo. We heard some explosions out there this morning... PICARD I think he was running a test on an old rocket engine... and one of the fuel cells burst. Scrimm eyes him evenly. SCRIMM You seem to have an answer for everything. PICARD Something wrong with that? SCRIMM Not yet. A tense beat. Then Scrimm smiles easily. SCRIMM (re: balm) Be sure you put that on. You need a lot of protection around here. He holds Picard's eyes for a moment. PICARD Thank you. But I've never had much trouble protecting myself. Now it's Picard's turn to smile pleasantly at Scrimm. Picard walks around him and heads for the gates. Scrimm watches him go with a thoughtful expression -- clearly, he's more than a little suspicious... CUT TO: 83 EXT. SPACE - THE ENTERPRISE 83 in orbit of Earth. 84 INT. CORRIDOR 84 Worf and a large SECURITY DETACHMENT -- a dozen or so men and women -- are moving down the Corridor with grim looks on their faces. They are carrying new powerful- looking phaser rifles and other equipment. The feeling is of an elite combat squad heading for a dangerous mission. They stop at one point and Worf lifts up a DECKPLATE, exposing a large HATCH in the floor. Worf hits his combadge. WORF Worf to Bridge. We're in position. 85 INT. BRIDGE 85 Riker in command, Troi nearby. Riker is standing at the security station looking at a monitor which displays a schematic graphic of the ship. The position of the security team is flashing -- we can see they are on Deck 46. RIKER This is the Bridge. I'm releasing the emergency force fields. He nods to Troi, who works a console. 86 INT. CORRIDOR 86 Worf and his team watch as the FORCEFIELD protecting the hatch flashes off. Worf reaches down and releases the hatch, which slides open with a soft whoosh. He glances at his men for a moment, then JUMPS down the hatch... 87 INT. DECK 47 - CORRIDOR 87 As Worf lands on his feet. The light is dim, no power on this deck, hard to see. He looks around warily for a moment, phaser at-the-ready, then activates his wrist beacon. We immediately notice that we can see Worf's breath -- it's freezing cold down here. He shines the light around the darkened corridor, then silently motions his arm for the others to follow. A beat, then we see the security officers start to drop into the corridor from the hatch above... 88 NEW ANGLE - CORRIDOR 88 As Worf's squad spreads out along the hall, weapons at- the-ready, everyone alert with fingers on the triggers. We see that the phaser rifles are equipped with their own light sources, intended to illuminate the target before you shoot at it. The Security Officers are constantly moving their lights back and forth through the chilly air. Worf gives hand signals -- holds up two fingers, then a fist, and points forward. Two Guards trot down the corridor about fifteen feet, stop, and take up firing positions... then two more members of the team run down, leap frog ahead of them and take positions further down the corridor. Classic military deployment. Worf starts scanning with a tricorder. WORF (hits combadge) Worf to Bridge. RIKER'S COM VOICE Riker here. WORF There's a dampening field in place on this deck. Our tricorders are useless. The team continue to explore Deck 47. It's spooky, eerie, a sense of menace around every corner. They open doors, check room by room, section by section, still no sign of the Borg in the freezing cold darkness. 90 ANGLE ON SECURITY GUARD 90 The Corridor directly ahead has been stripped of wall, ceiling and deck panels -- all the normal decorative Enterprise sheathing is gone, revealing the circuitry and machinery of the ship itself. Unlike the rest of the corridors, there does appear to be POWER flowing through some of the conduits up ahead, and it gives off an eerie glow. We can also see that some of the machinery has been altered and changed -- not just the neat and orderly arrangement you'd expect to find behind bulkheads -- there's a sense of cross-circuitry, re-wiring, equipment being rearranged. Clearly, a lot of work has gone on in this area of the ship. Worf steps forward, examines the corridor closely. ENSIGN HAWK What the hell is going on? WORF Borg... Worf signals the team forward, and they slowly begin picking their way down the Borgified Corridor. It's not easy -- they have to choose their footing carefully as they walk through the maze of cables, circuits, and machinery... Ensign Hawk accidentally steps on some circuitry, which gives off a BEEP. The entire team suddenly whirls their lights and weapons on the unfortunate Ensign, who pales at their sudden attention. Worf looks irritated, then motions his team to continue their search. They continue making their way down the spooky corridor... and as they turn a corner... 92 NEW ANGLE - ANOTHER CORRIDOR 92 where the machinery is now THICKER and more BORG-LIKE in appearance. Tubes and cabling hang down from the ceiling. If anything, it's even colder in here. The deeper they go, the worse it gets. We can now hear a low, sinister HUM of alien power. At the end of this corridor is the ENVIROMENTAL CONTROL ROOM, as seen earlier. The entire doorway is gone -- and a weird pulsing GLOW fills the room. Worf stops his team at the sight. From this vantage, we cannot see directly into the room, but clearly something is going on in there. Worf signals his men to spread out, and they take up positions around the Corridor, all weapons trained on Environmental Control. WORF Worf to Bridge. We're about to enter the Environmental Control Room. RIKER'S COM VOICE Any sign of Data, or the Borg themselves? As Work and Riker continue talking, we MOVE TO Ensign Hawk, who is now the last man in the formation, covering the rear. He's shining his phaser-beacon into the empty darkness. He can't help looking back over his shoulder at the rest of the team and the distant Environmental Control Room -- that seems to be where the action is. As he turns, his beacon moves with him, throwing the Corridor behind them in and out of darkness. WORF (continuing) Negative. However, they've reconfigured the ODN network... and re-routed all power on this deck into Environmental Control. As Worf speaks, Ensign Hawk turns back, but this time when he shines his beacon into the darkness, something MOVES in the distance -- a shadow. The Ensign freezes, brings his rifle up. But did he see it, or was it his imagination? A tense beat as he waits, heart pounding... but nothing happens. On the wall next to his head we see what can only be described as a BIO-MECHANISTIC CABLE creeping out of the wall... which begins slowly heading for the Ensign's neck. Just as he begins to sense that something is happening behind him, the cable WHIPS OUT around his neck and YANKS him deep into the bed of circuitry in the blink of an eye -- the motion so fast we have trouble following it. Worf turns his head at the sound. WORF Stand by, Commander (to team) Where's Ensign Hawk? Everyone looks around, surprised that he's not there. Everyone is alert, keyed up. The tension is thick. Utter silence, except for the hum of the machinery and the frosty breathing of the team. RIKER'S COM VOICE Worf? Is something wrong? WORF Something is very wrong, Commander. We're falling back. Worf gives hand signals for the team to move out. But just as they start to fall back, everything happens at once. 93 BORG DRONES 93 EXPLODE OUT OF THE WALLS, CEILING AND FLOOR! What follows is a BLUR of action happening so fast and furious we never get a true sense of what's happening. A flurry of violence and motion and images: -- A snarling Borg face -- half-human, half-machine, a cybernetic nightmare. -- Strange, bio-mechanical WEAPONS extruding from Borg bodies, RIPPING into human flesh. -- A crewmember PULLED into a bed of machinery. WORF Fire at will! But the Borg are already on top of them. It's a brutal fight in close quarters with no escape. Phasers and Borg lasers lighting up the corridor, bodies flying through the air... utter chaos and terror. The fight goes hand to hand and Worf sees that they don't have a chance... WORF (throwing off a Borg) Fall back! The team starts backpedaling, FIRING as they go...but the Borg are unstoppable now -- they put up personal force fields to protect themselves. WORF Go, go, GO! Worf pushes his men down the corridor. Everyone turns and RUNS like hell. Worf bends down and grabs a frightened Lieutenant by the collar, pulling him along. 94 VARIOUS SHOTS: 94 -- The team running through the corridors, SHOOTING behind them at the pursuing Borg, to no effect... -- Two of the Borg raise their arms and FIRE LASER BURSTS out of their arms and wrists, taking DOWN two Security Guards. Worf sees them fall but there's no time to go back. 95 INT. DECK 46 - CORRIDOR 95 As Worf's team starts CLIMBING UP and out the dark hatch in the floor seen earlier. 96 INT. DECK 47 - CORRIDOR 96 As the last member of Worf's team climbs out to safety. The Borg swarm is about to overpower Worf. He quickly hits a few controls on his phaser, sets it to overload. We hear the building WHINE. He JUMPS straight up into the air, GRABBING onto the hatch rim, pulling himself up. He barely manages to vanish from view just as the phaser EXPLODES in a FIERY BLAST, taking out several of the Borg drones. 97 INT. DECK 46 - CORRIDOR 97 The conclusive BLAST comes up through the hatch, causing Worf to duck for a moment. Worf reaches out to close the hatch, when a BORG HAND bursts up from below and GRABS his forearm. It's a test of strength. Worf reaches over with his other arm, hits a control and the hatch SLIDES CLOSED, SEVERING the Borg arm in a shower of sparks. WORF Worf to Bridge -- force fields! The force field FLASHES into place. Worf and his team sit there a moment, catching their breath, stunned at what they've just been through. RIKER'S COM VOICE What the hell happened down there, Worf? WORF Commander... we have a problem. OFF Worf's shaken expression... CUT TO: 98 INT. MISSILE SILO - CATWALK - DAY 98 Geordi and Picard are walking down the catwalk ladders toward the missile's massive engines. Now that the smoke has cleared and the place has been cleared up a bit, we get our first good look at the ship and the damage done in the Borg attack. GEORDI (on the move) Cochrane was going to use this solid rocket booster to lift the ship into orbit. Before the warp drive took over... everything would depend on these old chemical engines. (beat) Now here's the problem... They arrive at a point on the fuselage where we can see a large section of the engines have been BLASTED AWAY, leaving a deep, ugly SCAR -- broken conduit lines, wires that now lead to nothing. It's clear that a key piece of equipment has been destroyed. GEORDI (re: damage) This used to be the throttle valve assembly. (observing it) It controls the thrust of the engines. It's been completely vaporized... and without it, there's no way to launch the ship. PICARD Can you reconstruct the throttle valve? GEORDI Yeah... if I knew what it looked like. There's probably five hundred ways to design a valve like this... PICARD We need to launch this ship in under eighteen hours... (beat) There must be some design schematics... blueprints... GEORDI We're tearing this place apart looking for them... but the computers are down, and the fires destroyed half the files...so far, nothing. They look at the damage in frustration. GEORDI If it was just part of the warp drive, I'd know what to do. But this... it's like trying to rebuild Orville Wright's airplane with canvass and sticks. Picard thinks, remembers something. PICARD Wait a minute... 99 INT. CONTROL ROOM 99 Moments later. Picard and Geordi are looking at the three cloth-printed photographs seen earlier -- the headshot of Cochrane and two different angles of the three cloth-printed photographs seen earlier -- the warp ship with people working on it. Picard spreads them out on the desk. GEORDI Yeah, I looked at these already. Geordi points to a photo of the ship -- a worker is walking in front of the throttle assembly, blocking most of it from view. GEORDI You can almost see the throttle assembly in this one... but this guy walked in front of it when they took the picture. Picard considers, absently sticks his hand in his jacket pocket. He pulls out the canister of balm Scrimm gave him and tosses it onto the table. PICARD Could you reconstruct the throttle from a photograph like this... if that man wasn't blocking the view? Geordi thinks it over. GEORDI Maybe... (beat) Sure. Yeah. As long as I could get a clear look at the intake configuration. But so far, we haven't found any other photos. PICARD (staring at photos) If there are other photographs... I think I may know how to find them. CUT TO: 100 INT. BORG HIVE 100 It's a while later, and the Borg are making progress. Data is strapped to the table, PANELS open on his HEAD and CHEST. Three Borg drones are working methodically on his inner-circuitry. The jagged voice of the woman cuts in: WOMAN'S VOICE Your resistance is... illogical. To us, your neural net is simply another piece of technology. We will learn its secrets. Data stares at the murky ceiling. DATA Who are you? WOMAN'S VOICE I am the Borg. DATA That is a contradiction. The Borg act as a collective consciousness. There are no individuals. WOMAN'S VOICE I am the beginning... the end. I am the one who is many. I am the Borg. Out of the mist that hugs the top of the room DESCENDS the BORG QUEEN. She is unlike any of the Borg drones we've ever seen -- a humanoid female with conduits and tubes running out of her body. She has no legs. Her torso is SUSPENDED by a complex rig of CABLES and HYDRAULICS. Her face and upper-torso are much more humanoid, with the pasty- pale white of Borg flesh. Her EYES have a silvery glint to them. Her demeanor is seductive and sensual in contrast to the harsh, mechanical surroundings. She is an eerie blend of two worlds -- organic and mechanical. With the soft HISS of hydraulics, she LOWERS herself down to where her face is very close to that of Data's. Her features are almost angelic, but the silvery glint in her eyes betrays an inner-darkness. DATA You are the guiding intelligence behind the Borg...? BORG QUEEN Intelligence... ambition... desire... I bring order to chaos... She studies his face with a certain child-like quality. BORG QUEEN It's unfortunate we will have to destroy you to obtain the information we need. You are a... unique lifeform. (beat) Synthetic... and yet far more than a simple automaton. You have no idea how close to perfection you are. She stares at him intently, and we get the hint that her interest in Data may go beyond simple assimilation. She seems fascinated by him. Data picks up on this. DATA How do you define perfection? The Queen opens her arms slightly, clearly indicating herself. BORG QUEEN A blending of the organic and the synthetic. The highest form of life in the galaxy. Data eyes her, considering. DATA An interesting definition. But it is not one that applies to me. I am completely artificial. I have no organic components. She looks at him as a new thought crosses her mind. She might've just found the chink in Data's armor. BORG QUEEN Have you ever wondered what it's like to have flesh? DATA It is impossible to imagine sensations for which I have no frame of reference. She smiles. BORG QUEEN That... can change. The Queen looks to the three Borg drones and gives them a silent command. The drones immediately stop working on Data's open panels... and shift their attention to his right ARM. One of the drones tears off the sleeve on Data's uniform, exposing his bare arm. Another then uses a small cutting device to SLICE OFF the synthetic skin from Data's arm. As Data prepares himself for the worst... 101 INT. ENTERPRISE CORRIDOR 101 THREE armored SECURITY GUARDS with phaser rifles run into view, hit a control panel on the wall. A giant EMERGENCY BULKHEAD comes SLAMMING down, cutting off the rest of the corridor. The security guards turn to run down the hall, but then there is a high-pitched shriek of wrenching metal. They drop to the deck and take combat stances. GUARD #1 Set phasers to rotating modulation! They make adjustments to their weapons just as the bulkhead doors EXPLODE INWARD in a blinding flash. The guards shield themselves against the fire and debris... looks up just in time to see the swift and lethal shapes of the BORG jumping through the smashed bulkhead, racing down the corridor toward them. The guards FIRE, and when they do the PHASER BLASTS alternate color -- red, blue, green, purple, orange -- a staccato of colors as the phasers shift frequency. The phaser blasts TAKE DOWN a few of the BORG... but then we see the distinctive PERSONAL FORCEFIELDS of the other Borg begin to compensate, and the phasers no longer affect them. GUARD #1 That's it, they've adjusted -- fall back! They turn to run but BORG PHASER FIRE lances out from the Borg soldiers and RIPS them apart. CUT TO: 102 INT. BRIDGE 102 The mood is tense, grim. Riker, Worf and Troi are gathered around a SCHEMATIC of the ENTERPRISE. The lower portion of the ship has been blocked off by the color RED, representing the Borg advance through the ship. A they watch, another section of compartments and corridors suddenly turn RED. Riker lets out a wary breath, starts pointing to various points along the schematic. RIKER All right... we've lost control of eight decks... three Cargo Bays... one Shuttlebay. TROI Do we have any idea how many Borg we're dealing with? WORF We saw at least thirty...and there are twenty-two Enterprise crewmembers reported missing... including Commander Data. RIKER We'll have to assume they've been assimilated into the Collective. TROI Even Data? WORF Data's positronic net contains classified information on the Enterprise. Command codes, security protocols... RIKER If they control Data, they control the ship. A grim beat. RIKER We can't worry about that right now. Let's concentrate on what we can. They stare at the schematic. WORF To control the Enterprise, they'll have to gain access to one of two locations. Main Engineering... or the Bridge. RIKER We have to cover both possibilities. (to Troi) We'll take care of the Bridge. Worf, take your men and seal off Main Engineering. Turn it into a fortress -- nothing gets in. Worf nods and EXITS. As Riker and Troi exchange a tense look... CUT TO: 103 EXT. RESURRECTION CITY - HOSPITAL - NIGHT 103 The hospital is completely LIT UP -- the only building in town with this much power. 104 INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - NIGHT 104 Picard walks down the hall, stops outside a door marked "X-RAY PROCESSING." The RED LIGHT is on above the door, but that means nothing to Picard... who opens the door and steps inside... 105 INT. X-RAY PROCESSING ROOM 105 Much like a traditional darkroom, trays of chemicals and washes, etc. But everything has a slightly futuristic and cobbled-together feel. They are developing X-rays by hand instead of by machine. The room is lit with an AMBER glow. As soon as Picard opens the door, we hear Ruby's voice: RUBY'S VOICE Shut that door! Picard quickly shuts the door behind him, looks around the room. Ruby, who's working at a tray of chemicals, turns around in fury. RUBY What are you, an idiot? Didn't you see the red light was on? PICARD Ah... yes... but, I didn't realize that -- RUBY Thank God this plate was already fixed. She pulls down a small pane of glass (probably from a window) out of a tub of water... holds it up to the light. And there on the glass is a X-RAY of a man's SKULL. Picard moves to her. PICARD (re: X-ray) Cochrane? RUBY Yes... and I only had enough silver halide for one shot. So you're lucky you didn't screw it up. PICARD I'm very sorry. She glances at him, sees he feels genuinely bad. She softens a little. RUBY Don't worry about it. She picks up a rubber squeegee and carefully starts to dry off the pane of glass. RUBY Did you need something? PICARD Yes... I wanted to ask you about some photographs I saw out at the silo. There were three of them... printed on some kind of fabric. RUBY Bed sheets. (off his look) I used my last set of bed sheets to make those prints. Not the best material, but I haven't seen a clean piece of paper in five years. PICARD Did you take any other pictures of the rocket? The X-ray is now dry, and Ruby turns and looks at him. RUBY Sure. (jokingly) Why, did you want to buy them? Picard doesn't realize she was kidding -- jumps on the opportunity to get the photos. PICARD Yes. I don't have any money right now, but I may be able to get some. Ruby looks at him for a moment -- is he serious? She gives him a curious smile. RUBY "Money." So you can get dome money... PICARD I can try. RUBY You'd have to try real hard. No one's used currency in over ten years. What are you, from another planet? Picard hesitates, smiles at her, tries to laugh it off. PICARD No... but sometimes I feel that way. (beat) What I meant was, I'd be willing to trade for the photographs. RUBY Trade. Okay. The photographs... for a straight answer. (beat) Who are you? And how do you know Zephram? PICARD I'm an old friend... I met him when he was doing his undergraduate work at Cornell back in -- RUBY (cuts him off) 'Fraid not. Ruby walks past him with the X-ray... 106 INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS 106 Picard follows Ruby out into the corridor. She has a satisfied smile on her face -- it's not easy to put one over on this woman. And the truth is, she's enjoying Picard's frustration. As they walk along... PICARD What? RUBY (casual) You're lying. PICARD What makes you say that? RUBY You're not someone who lies very easily... so it's obvious when you do... at least to me. PICARD Are you always sucha good judge of character? She stops, turns, looks at him. RUBY Always. Ruby turns and walks off. Picard follows her, doggedly determined to get those photos... 107 INT. HOSPITAL - EMERGENCY ROOM - NIGHT 107 Beverly is holding the X-ray glass Ruby made up to the light, as the Doctor seen earlier looks on. BEVERLY The occipital fracture is widening... we're going to have to fuse the bones... DOCTOR I'm a little worried about some of these bone fragments. If they move any closer to the brain, we could be looking at a hemorrhage. As Beverly and the Doctor examine the X-ray, we MOVE TO Ruby, who's looking down at Cochrane. He's still in bed and on a respirator. She smoothes his hair with affection. Picard stands on the other side of the bed, watching her. PICARD Were the two of you... involved? RUBY No... not like you and Doctor Crusher used to be. PICARD (surprised) How did you know about that? Ruby looks at him with a smile. RUBY I didn't. Her smile widens, and then she leaves the bed to join the Doctor and Beverly. Picard shakes his head and smiles after her -- chagrinned and amused at the same time. RUBY (to Doctor) We can't take any more X-rays until I can mix up a new batch of the silver halide. DOCTOR Can you do it tonight? We may have to operate. RUBY Sure. It'll be ready by morning. Ruby turns and heads for the door. Picard moves after her. PICARD Ruby... I need to talk to you about those photographs. It's very important. RUBY I'm sure it is. But it'll have to wait until tomorrow. PICARD It can't wait until tomorrow... RUBY Too bad. (beat) Besides, it'll give you all night to think up a new set of lies. She flashes him that smile again, then darts out the door. Picard is left frustrated -- he knows that he can't let it go at that... CUT TO: 108 INT. ENTERPRISE - ENGINEERING 108 Worf and a team of TEN SECURITY GUARDS are preparing for battle. They're setting up large, heavy-duty phaser equivalents of machine guns -- big, mean-looking weapons on tripods. There are two of these weapons aimed at each entrance to Engineering. The Security Officers are strapping on body armor, checking weapons, building makeshift barricades over each of the doors. Worf is in command, directing the action. WORF (to team) Double check each assault phaser... make certain that the range setting is no more than thirty meters. We don't want to blast through the hull. Worf turns and picks up his BAT'LETH SWORD off a nearby console. He checks the sharpness of the blade. SECURITY OFFICER Are you sure you don't want something a little more... sophisticated, sir? WORF Mind your post, Lieutenant. The Lieutenant decides not to pursue the matter and moves off. Worf makes a quick practiced motion with the sword... decides he's ready. 109 INT. BRIDGE 109 Riker and Troi watching the schematic. Riker works a control and the display ZOOMS IN to display a cutaway view of the ship highlighting Engineering and the surrounding deck. A SWARM of DOTS representing the Borg is advancing on Engineering. RIKER (to com) Riker to Engineering. Mister Worf...the Borg are approaching your position. WORF'S COM VOICE Understood. We're ready. Riker and Troi watch as the DOTS move closer... closer...right up to the perimeter of Engineering. The dots begin surrounding Engineering -- which looks like it's being swarmed over by a sea of ants. 110 INT. ENGINEERING 110 As before. The security guards have taken positions around the room, all weapons trained on the doors. Worf is standing in front of the warp core, Bat'leth in- hand. WORF (calls out) Charge weapons! A massive HUM of power fills the room as all of the phaser weapons begin charging. It's tense -- everyone standing ready with their weapons charging. This is the moment of truth. Worf stands ready, phaser in one hand, Bat'leth in the other. This is Worf at his purest -- the warrior ready for battle. 111 INT. BRIDGE 111 Riker and Troi, as before, watching the schematic of the ship. The DOTS representing Borg have now completely surrounded Engineering on all sides, including the deck directly above and below. In essence, the Borg have cocooned Engineering from the rest of the ship. 112 INT. ENGINEERING 112 As before. Worf and the security team in their positions, tense. A few beats of silence...then they start to hear soft SCRATCHING coming from somewhere behind the walls -- it sounds like rats skittering through the walls and ceiling of an old house. Everyone stays alert, checks and re-checks their weapons... a couple of hard swallows... then from somewhere up above a LOUD, METALLIC CLANG. Then a large, SCRAPING SOUND that seems to start at one end of the room and travel to the other. There's an overpowering sense of creatures just outside those walls, moving about. It's unnerving, even for crack Starfleet troops. 113 INT. BRIDGE 113 Riker and Troi watching the display. The Borg dots teeming around Engineering like ants on a candy bar. 114 INT. ENGINEERING 114 The clawing, skittering, clanging noises increase and get louder... ... we expect to see the Borg bursting into the room at any moment. Worf tightens his grip on his Bat'leth, teeth bared. Unbearable tension and then... The noises begin to FADE AWAY... eventually disappearing all together. If anything, the silence is even scarier. Worf's eyes narrow. He looks around the room, all his senses alert, waiting for the slightest sign of the Borg... but nothing happens. 115 INT. BRIDGE 115 Riker and Troi react to the diagram as the Borg dots begin moving away from Engineering. It looks like the swarm of ants have left the candy bar and are on the ground, moving toward the forward part of the ship. TROI They're bypassing Engineering... RIKER Where the hell are they going? OFF the mystery... CUT TO: 116 INT. BORG HIVE 116 CLOSE ON DATA'S FACE. His eyes are closed -- he is in the android equivalent of sleep. CAMERA ROTATING and PUSHING IN on his face as we hear the overlapping sounds of VOICES from Data's past -- Picard, Riker, Troi, the Enterprise crew, aliens he's met, Data's own voice... bits and pieces of his life... The theme of the sound bites should be Data's quest for humanity: Picard giving him advice, Troi counseling him, Soong talking to his son, etc. The last line of dialogue we hear is Data saying "I want to be more human." BORG QUEEN'S VOICE Data... Data's eyes fly open, now awake. We PULL BACK revealing that Data is still strapped to the Borg operating table... his right arm and shoulder are encased in some kind of strange cybernetic SHELL, obscured from view. Clear tubes run out of the shell into Borg machinery -- liquid is coursing through the tubes. A couple of Borg drones are moving about the room, carrying out various tasks. There's been a change since we've been here last. There are now several Plexiglass CYLINDERS surrounding Data's table -- each of them filled with some kind of murky red fluid, which is swirling around. Every once in awhile, something that looks like RAW FLESH bumps up against the clear Plexiglass, then disappears again. We don't know what these tubes are for, but they're definitely creepy. Data takes all this in, but there is nothing he can do, he's still immobilized. Suddenly the table ROTATES and begins to MOVE up toward the mist and cabling at the top of the ceiling. It stops a few feet away... and Data finds himself face-to- face with the Borg Queen again. BORG QUEEN You've taken your first step toward perfection. How does it feel? DATA I do not know what you are referring to. BORG QUEEN That's because you haven't been properly... stimulated yet. A WHOOSH of hydraulic power signals another movement by the Borg Queen. She slithers through the air and down slightly, so that she is on the same level as Data. She looks at the cybernetic shell that is encasing Data's right arm, which OPENS at her silent command and moves away... We can now see that all of the skin has been removed from Data's right arm, showing the INNER-WORKINGS of his android limb -- circuitry and servos, etc. But on the top of the mechanical forearm there is something new -- a small PATCH of HUMAN FLESH held in place with various nasty-looking hooks and clamps and small tubes carrying blood. It's a delicate, fragile piece of organic life on an ugly, mechanical surface. Data looks down at the patch of flesh with a little puzzlement. BORG QUEEN (re: flesh) Do you know what this is, Data? DATA It would appear that you are attempting to graft organic skin onto my endo-skeletal structure. BORG QUEEN What a cold description... for such a beautiful gift. She smiles slightly, utterly confident. She leans her face in close to Data's still immobilized right arm. 117 EXTREME CLOSE UP - DATA'S ARM 117 We are so close to the patch of flesh that we can see the individual hairs. The Borg Queen's LIPS move into frame, and she EXHALES a long and sensuous breath. We see GOOSE BUMPS form on the skin, and the hairs stand straight up in response. 118 NEW ANGLE 118 As Data's eyes widen and he looks down at the skin in surprise -- this is a sensation he's never felt before. The Borg Queen sees the look on his face and smiles. BORG QUEEN Was that good for you? Data can barely describe the sensation. But clearly, it was pleasurable. DATA It was... interesting. He looks at her. DATA Do it again... please. As she smiles... CUT TO: 119 EXT. RUBY'S HOUSE - NIGHT 119 A tiny, single-story house -- one or two rooms at the most, in serious need of repair and maintenance. No yard. The house sits on dirt. The nearest other structure is at least a hundred yards away. A very solitary place. The windows are dark, painted over from the inside. Some large pieces of exotic-looking EQUIPMENT are sitting off the front porch. After a beat, the front door opens, letting out a soft, feeble light. Ruby steps out onto the porch, carrying a gallon size plastic jug. The light from the house now lights the equipment a little, giving us a better view. There's a contraption that appears to be a PUMP of some kind, with a funnel on top, spigot at the bottom, and several stages of filters and tubing in between. Ruby sets the jug underneath the spigot... then sits down for a moment on the edge of the porch. She takes a breath and runs a hand through her hair, stretches her back, trying to work out some of the kinks in her neck. An exhausting day. 120 PICARD 120 is watching her intently from afar. He's concealed behind a supporting beam of one the town's many WINDMILLS. He's in shadow, hidden from Ruby's view. 121 RUBY 121 pulls off her jacket. she's wearing a pull-over shirt... and in one motion she pulls off the shirt, revealing only a tee-shirt underneath, sleeves torn off long ago. She stands up... kicks off her boots... undoes her pants... and begins sliding the jeans off her hips... 122 PICARD 122 is surprised. Glances around, a little awkward. This really isn't why he came out here. 123 RUBY 123 kicks aside the jeans. She's now down to tee-shirt and panties. She grabs the bottom of the tee-shirt... pulls it off... 124 PICARD 124 doesn't want to look, but can't help himself... 125 RUBY 125 moves to the side of the porch... and steps into a large ENVIROMENTAL SUIT, a bulky one-piece with gloves and helmet attached. 126 PICARD 126 is a little relieved... keeps watching... 127 RUBY 127 has now encased herself in the thick, rubbery suit... pulls over a HELMET with a gas mask. She walks over to an OIL DRUM marked with a distinctive BIO-HAZARD SYMBOL. She carefully opens the lid... takes a metal pitcher... reaches down into the drum and scoops out a pitcher-full of TOXIC WASTE. She closes the lid, walks over to the pump-filter contraption. She pours the sludge-like waste into the funnel...primes the pump... makes a few adjustments to the filters... and then turns the spigot... After a beat, a trickle of CLEAR LIQUID starts to come out of the spigot. Ruby steps back and pulls off the helmet. 128 PICARD 128 watches, curious about what she's doing... 129 RUBY 129 is now out of the bio-suit again... pulling on her shirt and jeans... grabs her jacket... turns off the lights in the house, and shuts the front door behind her. She begins walking toward the windmill. 130 PICARD 130 steps behind the girder, stays very still in the shadows... waits quietly as Ruby passes by the windmill without a glance and heads into town. After she's gone, Picard steps out from his hiding place, watches her go, then quickly heads for Ruby's house... 131 FRONT PORCH 131 Picard opens the front door and goes inside... but he doesn't notice that at the base of the doorjamb a small RED LIGHT starts flashing -- some sort of silent alarm. 132 INT. RUBY'S HOUSE - CONTINUOUS 132 Picard ENTERS and closes the door behind him. It's dark. He fumbles around for a light switch... finally locates one... and a soft, golden glow fills the room. The house has only one room, which functions as a living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc. This is also Ruby's DARKROOM. The windows have been painted black, and there are photographic plates and futuristic photo- equipment all around. But the most striking feature of the house are the large, hanging cloth-printed PHOTOGRAPHS. They vary in size and shape. Some are hanging on walls, others hang from the ceiling in mid- air, still others are stacked on the few pieces of furniture that's here. The absence of paper has forced Ruby to print photos on anything she can find -- bed sheets, shirts, pieces of upholstery, backs of carpeting, etc. Picard stands there for a moment, taking in the scene -- he's never been in anyplace quite like this. The cloth photos give the room a feeling of a small, intensely personal gallery. Picard moves around the room, looking from photo to photo... hunting for the elusive shots of the missile silo... and as he does, we get our first close look at Ruby's images, and they tell us a great deal about her... She has an artistic eye for finding beauty in the mundane and the ugly. There are pictures of hope amidst despair... beauty amongst devastation. There seems to be a theme running through the photographs -- a romantic, almost idealistic sense of optimism. At one point, Picard finds a photograph he recognizes. It's the rusted-out hover car she photographed on the streets of Resurrection. It's an ugly, decrepit piece of junk... but there in the center, spot-lighted by a single ray of sunshine... is a tiny flower about to bloom. Picard takes in the image for a brief moment... then pushes onward... goes to a file of photos sitting in a box... begins sorting through them quickly... we see PRE-WAR photos printed on real paper. They show a younger Ruby with her parents... Resurrection the way it used to look... Ruby with a dog... Picard pauses, frowns... gets the odd feeling that someone is watching him. He turns around to see... 133 HIMSELF 133 A three foot PHOTOGRAPH OF PICARD is drying in the air behind him. Ruby must've taken the photo when Picard was on the street talking to Scrimm. It was taken through a telephoto lens, a close-up of Picard's face -- he looks focused, determined, heroic. It's a remarkable shot of the Captain, and even Picard is a little taken aback by the image. She's captured the essence of the man. CLICK-CLACK! The sound of a shotgun being cocked. Picard freezes... slowly turns around to see who's there... 134 RUBBY 134 is standing in the open doorway, a shotgun leveled at Picard. RUBY You should pay closer attention to those little red lights. Picard glances down at the doorway, sees the flashing red light in the doorjamb. He's busted. RUBY You know, I'd be perfectly justified in shooting you right now. Picard glances at the photograph of himself. PICARD I'd say you already have. RUBY Don't flatter yourself. I take pictures of a lot of junk. She perches herself on the arm of a small couch, holds the gun loosely, but never taking the aim away from Picard. RUBY Okay, let's hear it. I'm sure you have a great explanation for why those rocket photos are so important you broke into my house. PICARD We're trying to repair Doctor Cochrane's ship. It's been damaged and -- RUBY We? PICARD Myself... and a few other friends of Zephram's. RUBY Friends from Cornell... PICARD Some. RUBY Lie. That's one. Keep going. PICARD A key piece of the ship has been destroyed... and our only hope to reconstruct it is if one of your photographs shows us what it looked like. RUBY (considers) All right. Truth. I believe that one. Why is it so urgent you couldn't wait until morning? PICARD We have to launch his ship by tomorrow afternoon. RUBY Or...? Picard has to come up with something -- decides to throw her off with a high-tech explanation. PICARD Or the shielding around the plutonium core will begin to deteriorate. Within a day, the entire silo will become so radioactive that no one will be able to come near it for a hundred years. Ruby eyes him evenly. RUBY Lie. That's two. One more, and I pull the trigger. Picard is starting to get angry. PICARD Why are you being so difficult? All I'm asking for is to look at one of the photographs. It'll take five minutes. RUBY And all I'm asking for is the truth. That would take five minutes. (beat) For all I know, you caused the explosions at the silo... and now you're trying to steal Zephram's ship. PICARD I am not a thief... Ruby's had enough -- her temper flares and she gets off the couch, takes a threatening step toward Picard. RUBY No, you're a petty burglar and a liar... (beat) You're no friend of Zephram's. He is a great man. He's not like you or me or any of the other zombies walking around this town. Picard jumps in with a quiet, forceful quality: PICARD No. He's a man with vision. He can see beyond the problems that surround us. He knows there's a better future out there for everyone... a future where crime, poverty and war are things of the past... a future where we reach out and seek our destiny in the stars. (beat) I believe in that future, too, Ruby. I believe in it in every fiber of my being. And I'm telling you... if we don't launch that warp ship tomorrow, there's a very good chance that future will never happen. She eyes him for a moment -- and we're not sure if his words have had any effect. Ruby still has her doubts, but decides to go with her gut...and finally hands him the photographs. Picard glances through them -- his expression tells us the photo he needs is in there. PICARD You won't regret this. They share a look... and then Picard turns and walks off into the night. Ruby watches him go... and we can see on her face a confused jumble of mixed emotions. Something about that man has touched her... 135 NIGHT SCPOE POV 135 A telescopic, green and white image of Picard walking away from Ruby's home. 136 LIEUTENANT SCRIMM 136 is watching Picard through a set of night vision binoculars, perched on the roof of a nearby building. He frowns, wondering what Picard is up to... CUT TO: 137 EXT. SPACE - ENTERPRISE DEFLECTOR DISH 137 The giant DEFLECTOR ARRAY at the front of the ship -- a giant, round, bowl-shaped array used for communications and shielding. As we watch, FOUR HATCHES OPEN surrounding the dish and BORG start to emerge from the interior of the ship and CRAWL OUT on the hull. The Borg do not need pressure suits or breathing equipment -- they crawl around the hull with ease and onto the deflector dish... PULL BACK TO REVEAL: 138 INT. ENTERPRISE BRIDGE - VIEWSCREEN 138 Where Riker, Troi, Worf and N.D.s are watching this image on the Viewscreen. RIKER What are they doing? WORF They appear to be modifying the deflector dish. TROI To do what? If they wanted a weapon, they could've taken over a phaser bank or torpedo bay... RIKER Deflector dish... why the deflector dish...? WORF It doesn't make sense. The deflector is only used for shielding and long range sensors... Riker stares at the screen... notices something. RIKER Computer -- magnify grid twenty- one alpha. The image on the Viewscreen ZOOMS IN to a specific point on the deflector dish, giving us a clear view of two Borg who have opened a gigantic panel on the dish. They appear top be modifying power conduits in some fashion. WORF They're re-routing the deflector power conduits... RIKER Computer -- thermal enhancement. The image now is overlaid with an INFRARED VIEW of what they're doing. The power conduits are glowing bright red, very hot -- we can see the heat signature travel back behind the dish and connect to a corkscrew-shaped coil, which is pulsing. RIKER They're connecting the conduits to subspace communications... WORF (realizing) They're converting the deflector dish into an antennae... TROI They may be trying to send a message to the other Borg...the Borg in this time period... WORF What kind of message? RIKER (thinking) If it was me... I'd say "attack Earth now... in the 21st century... they'll be too strong in the 24th." They think about this for a moment as they watch the Borg swarming on the deflector array. WORF We have to stop them from sending that message. RIKER Agreed. Options? WORF Destroy the deflector dish. TROI Can we aim our dorsal phasers at it? Riker shakes his head. RIKER We've lost control of all weapons systems... Transporters are down... we can't get to a Shuttlecraft... and it would take us too long to fight our way down to deflector control... They think. WORF There is another way, Commander. Do you remember your zero-G combat training? Riker looks a little wary at the suggestion. RIKER I remember it made me sick. TROI (to Worf) What are you suggesting? RIKER I think Mister Worf is suggesting that we go outside for a little stroll... OFF their expressions... CUT TO: 139 CLOSE ON A PHOTOGRAPH 139 Another one of Ruby's cloth-printed photos, this one a clear view of the base of the missile engines -- Cochrane standing underneath the massive rocket nozzle. Above him on the fuselage is the crucial throttle-valve assembly. GEORDI'S VOICE I'm almost afraid to say this, Captain... but I think it's going to work. MOVE TO REVEAL we're in: 140 INT. MISSILE SILO - LOWER CATWALK - DAY 140 The cloth photo is hanging from a beam on the catwalk. Geordi and Picard are watching a couple of N.D.s attach the newly-built throttle assembly to the side of the ship. The N.D.s are using high-tech welding tools and sparks are flying. As they talk, they head back up the catwalk toward the control room... PICARD Where's you get the alloy for the throttle itself? GEORDI They used copper pipes in their plumbing... so I melted it down... and fused it with some tritanium from one of our phaser casings. (beat) It's not the strongest alloy... but it's better than all this crude aluminum and steel. 141 INT. MISSILE CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS 141 As Geordi and Picard ENTER. Lange is checking out a launch console. The room is now humming with power -- it's beginning to look like the place is up and running. Picard stops near the desk. PICARD Mister Lange -- have you brought the computer systems back on-line yet? LANGE Aye, Captain. This trinary language is pretty archaic... but I think I understand it now. PICARD Good. As they speak, CAMERA MOVES in on the metal canister of lotion Picard set on the desk earlier... 142 EXT. MONTONA WOODS - DAY - CONTINUOUS 142 Scrimm and three militia guards are huddled around a cluster of military surveillance gear, listening to Picard and Geordi's conversation. Far in the distance, we can see the missile silo. PICARD'S VOICE Are we on schedule? The Vulcan ship will be here in less than two hours. GEORDI'S VOICE It'll be tight, but we should make it. PICARD'S VOICE What about our warp signature? It has to be strong enough for them to detect. GEORDI'S VOICE I've enhanced the plasma injectors -- don't worry, they'll see it. PICARD'S VOICE Well, with any luck... the Vulcans will land outside Resurrection tomorrow morning... and Earth will never be the same again. Scrimm and his men listen with growing alarm -- it sounds like Picard is planning an invasion! 143 INT. MISSILE CONTROL ROOM - CONTINUOUS 143 As before. PICARD All right. I'd better start familiarizing myself with the flight controls. A console BUZZES. Lange moves to it, and activates a small color video MONITOR. It shows an external view of the MISSILE silo, just outside the hatch. Beverly can be seen standing nearby with a now conscious Zephram Cochrane. LANGE Doctor Crusher's at the access hatch, Captain. PICARD Let her in. Lange hits a couple of buttons... CUT TO: 144 CLOSE ON COCHRANE'S FACE 144 A short time later. His head is bandaged, and he's conscious, but frankly he looks like hell. He sits back, looking a little overwhelmed. COCHRANE Let me get this straight... you're from the future... I'm about to change history... and all I have to do is sit here and let you fly my ship? 145 WIDER 145 Picard, Geordi and Beverly are standing around Cochrane, who is sitting in a high-backed chair in a corner of the Control Room. PICARD That's right. He studies their faces -- sees they're serious. He smiles a little ruefully. COCHRANE And people say I'm crazy... Picard smiles. PICARD I assure you, Doctor, that after today... no one will ever call you that again. Cochrane considers them...finally nods, what the hell. COCHRANE Just do me