1
Senators, consider the opportunities
for the Empire.
At last, the destinies of the planets
Romulus and Remus will be united.
Shinzon of Remus
is offering us a chance
to make ourselves stronger
than ever before.
It would be madness to reject it.
I beg you not to let prejudice or politics
interfere with this alliance.
By joining Shinzon's forces with ours,
not even the Federation
will be able to stand in our way...
That's enough!
The decision has been made.
The military does not
dictate policy on Romulus.
The Senate has considered
Shinzon's proposal and rejected it.
He and his followers will be met with
all deliberate force
and sent back to that black rock
they came from.
Do I make myself clear?
Yes, sir.
If you will excuse me, Praetor.
I have an appointment
with the Tholian ambassador.
Of course.
Senators, are there any others
who wish to speak?
Then I call for a vote on the motion,
to open trade negotiations
with Celes II.
As you know, the Reman mines
have not been filling their quotas
for months now.
I hope that you will all bear in mind
the trade committee's findings.
As much as we don't want...
Would someone alert security?
Bring back Senator Tal'Aura.
Duty.
A starship captain's life
is filled with solemn duty.
I have commanded men in battle.
I have negotiated peace treaties
between implacable enemies.
I have represented the Federation
in first contact with 27 alien species.
But none of this compares
with my solemn duty today
as best man.
Now, I know on an occasion
such as this,
it is expected that I be gracious
and fulsome in my praise
on the wonders of this blessed union.
But have the two of you
considered what you are doing to me?
Of course you're happy,
but what about my needs?
This is all a damned inconvenience.
While you're happily settling in
on the Titan,
I will be training my new First Officer.
You all know him.
He's a tyrannical martinet
who will never
ever allow me to go on away missions.
That is the regulation, sir.
Starfleet Code, Section 12, Paragraph...
Mr. Data.
Sir?
Shut up.
Yes, sir.
Fifteen years
I've been waiting to say that.
No, seriously.
Will, Deanna,
there's still time to reconsider.
Yes?
No.
No.
No?
Oh, very well, then.
Will Riker.
You have been my trusted
right arm for 15 years.
You have kept my course true,
and steady.
Deanna Troi, you've been my guide,
and my conscience.
You've helped me recognize
the better parts of myself.
You are my family.
And in best maritime tradition,
I wish you both,
clear horizons.
My good friends,
make it so.
The bride and groom.
To the bride and groom.
To the bride and groom.
You ever think about
getting married again?
No.
Twenty three was my limit.
Worf?
Are you all right?
Romulan ale should be illegal.
It is.
That was a lovely toast.
It was from the heart.
And you needn't worry.
I'm going to brief your new counselor
on everything she needs to know.
Oh, like hell you are.
You already know
too much about me.
I take it that there will be no speeches
during the ceremony on Betazed?
No. No speeches and no clothes.
Ladies and gentlemen,
and invited transgendered species,
in my study of Terran
and Betazoid conjugal rites
I've discovered it is traditional
to present the...
happy couple,
with a gift.
Given Commander Riker's affection
for archaic musical forms,
I have elected to present
the following as my gift,
in honor of their conjugation.
Conjugation!
Never saw the sun
Shining so bright
Never saw things
Going so right
Noticing the days
Hurrying by
When you're in love,
My how they fly
Oh blue skies
Smiling at me
Irving Berlin.
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see
It's tradition, Worf.
You, of all people,
should appreciate that.
I will not do it.
Won't do what, Mr. Worf?
Captain, I do not think it is appropriate
for a Starfleet officer to appear...
naked.
Oh, come now.
A big, handsome, strapping
fellow like you?
What can you be afraid of?
Captain,
I'm picking up an unusual
electromagnetic signature
from the Kolarin system.
What sort of signature?
Positronic.
It's very faint.
But I've isolated it to the third
planet in the Kolarin system.
What do we know about it?
Uncharted.
We'll have to get closer
for a more detailed scan.
Theories?
Since positronic signatures
have only been known to emanate
from androids such as myself,
it is logical to theorize
there is an android on Kolarus III.
Just what I was afraid of.
Captain,
diverting to the Kolarin system
takes us awfully close
to the Romulan Neutral Zone.
It's still well on our side.
I think...
I think it's worth taking a look.
Don't worry, Number One.
We'll still have you to Betazed
with plenty of time to spare.
Thank you, sir.
Where we will all honor
the Betazoid tradition.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I'll be in the gym.
Mr. Branson,
lay in a course for the Kolarin system,
warp 5.
What do you think, Data?
A long lost relative?
I'm reading six distinct
positronic signatures
spread out over a few kilometers
on the planet's surface.
What do we know
about the population of Kolarus III?
Isolated pockets of humanoids.
It appears to be a prewarp civilization
at an early stage
of industrial development.
Captain,
I wouldn't recommend
using the transporter.
That ion storm
doesn't look very neighborly.
It could head in our direction
without much warning.
Understood.
Data, Mr. Worf, you're with me.
Captain,
I don't have to remind you...
I appreciate
your concern, Number One.
But I've been itching to try the Argo.
I'll bet.
Captain's prerogative.
There's no foreseeable danger.
And your wife would never forgive me
if anything were to happen to you.
You have the Bridge, Mr. Troi.
I will always be puzzled
by the human predilection
for piloting vehicles
at unsafe velocities.
Over that rise, sir.
Half a kilometer.
The radiant electromagnetic field
is interfering with my tricorder.
We are within a few meters
of the signal.
Fan out.
Let's search around.
It appears to be a robotic arm.
Very astute.
Mr. Worf, bring it to the vehicle.
This doesn't feel right.
The final signature is approximately
100 meters to the north, sir.
It's you.
The resemblance is...
striking.
Fascinating.
Fascinating.
To the vehicle.
I think it's time
to try some unsafe velocities.
Why do you have a shiny head?
This is not the appropriate time
for a conversation.
Why?
Because the Captain has to
concentrate on piloting the vehicle.
Why?
Because...
Data!
Sorry, sir.
Have I said something wrong?
Data.
That's negative 3, cos/bar standard.
Valve transfer initiated.
You know, all things considered Data,
I think you have nicer eyes.
Our eyes are identical, Doctor.
So what have we got, Geordi?
Well.
I'd say he has the same
internal mechanics as Data
but not as much
positronic development.
The neural pathways
aren't nearly as sophisticated.
I'd say he's a prototype.
Something Dr. Soong created
prior to Data.
Do you have a name, sir?
I am...
B4.
B4?
Dr. Soong's penchant for whimsical
names seems to have no end.
Can you tell us how you came to be
on the planet where we found you?
I do not know.
Do you remember anything of your life
before you were on the planet?
No.
Why does the tall man
have a furry face?
Number One, keep me informed and...
Geordi, reassemble him.
Aye, sir.
B4, do you know who I am?
You are me.
No.
My name is Data.
I am your brother.
Tea, Earl Grey, hot.
Captain, you have
an Alpha Priority communication
from Starfleet Command.
Acknowledged.
Admiral Janeway,
how good to see you again.
Jean Luc.
How would you like a trip to Romulus?
With or without the rest of the fleet?
A diplomatic mission.
We've been invited, believe it or not.
Seems there's been some kind of
internal political shakeup.
The new Praetor,
someone called Shinzon,
has requested a Federation envoy.
New Praetor?
Here's more. He's Reman.
Believe me, we don't understand it, either.
You're the closest ship.
So I want you to go and hear
what he has to say.
Get the lay of the land.
If the Empire becomes unstable,
it could mean trouble
for the entire quadrant.
Understood.
We're sending you
all the intelligence we have.
But it's not much.
I don't need to tell you
to watch your back, Jean Luc.
Hardly.
The Son'a, the Borg, the Romulans.
You seem to get
all the easy assignments.
Just lucky, Admiral.
Let's hope that luck holds.
Janeway out.
Helmsman, lay in a new course.
Take us to Romulus. Warp 8.
Aye, sir.
Course plotted and laid in.
Romulus?
I'm afraid The Opal Sea
will have to wait, Number One.
Engage.
As you can see, one side of Remus
always faces the sun.
Due to the extreme temperatures
on that half of their world,
the Remans live
on the dark side of the planet.
Almost nothing is known
of the Reman homeworld,
although intelligence scans
have proven
the existence of dilithium mining
and heavy weapons construction.
The Remans themselves,
are considered an undesirable caste
in the hierarchy of the Empire.
But they also have a reputation
for being formidable warriors.
In the Dominion War,
Reman troops were used as assault
forces in the most violent encounters.
Cannon fodder.
Yeah, but how did a Reman
get to be Praetor?
I don't get it.
We have to assume
he had Romulan collaborators.
Coup d'tat?
The Praetor's power
has always been the Romulan fleet.
They must have been behind Shinzon
for him to have overthrown the Senate.
What have we learned about Shinzon?
Starfleet intelligence
was only able to provide
a partial account of his military record.
We can infer he is relatively young
and a capable commander.
He fought 12 major
engagements in the war.
All successful.
Beyond that, we know nothing.
Well, it seems as though
we're truly sailing into the unknown.
Keep at it.
Anything you can give
me will be appreciated.
Dismissed.
I still can't believe the Captain
went along with a memory download.
Captain Picard agrees that the B4
was probably designed
with the same selfactualization
parameters as myself.
If my memory engrams,
are successfully integrated
into his positronic matrix,
he should have all my abilities.
Yeah. But he would also have
all of your memories as well.
You feel comfortable with that?
I feel nothing, Geordi.
It is my belief
that with my memory engrams
he'll be able to function
as a more complete individual.
An individual more
like you, you mean?
Yes.
Maybe he's not supposed
to be like you, Data.
Maybe he's supposed to be
exactly the way he is.
That might be so.
But I believe he should have
the opportunity to explore his potential.
Ok.
We're done.
B4, do you know where you are?
I am in a room...
with lights.
Can you remember...
our father?
Our father?
Yes. Dr. Soong.
No.
Do you know the name
of the Captain of this vessel?
Captain...
No.
Data, he's assimilating
a lot of programming.
Remember, he's a prototype,
a lot less sophisticated than you are.
We just don't know if his matrix
will be able to adapt.
We really need to give him some time.
Geordi, what purpose does this serve?
What?
This.
That's a redundant memory port.
Maybe the provisional memory storage
is in case his neural pathways overload.
Do you mind if I keep him here
for a while?
Run a few diagnostics?
No, I do not mind.
Data?
No. You must remain
with Commander La Forge.
He is going to try to help you.
Captain's Log. Stardate 56844.9.
The Enterprise has arrived at Romulus
and is waiting
at the designated coordinates.
All our hails have gone unanswered.
We've been waiting for 17 hours.
Counselor?
They're out there, sir.
Captain, I recommend we raise shields.
Not yet, Mr. Worf.
Captain, with all due respect
to diplomatic protocol,
the Federation Council
isn't sitting out here, we are.
Patience. Diplomacy
is a very exacting occupation.
We will wait.
Captain.
Raising shields.
No.
Captain.
Tactical analysis, Mr. Worf.
Fiftytwo disruptor banks,
27 photon torpedo bays,
primary and secondary shields.
She's a predator.
We are being hailed.
On screen.
Enterprise,
we are the Reman warbird, Scimitar.
Praetor Shinzon, I'm pleased to...
I am not Shinzon.
I am his viceroy.
We are sending transport coordinates.
Not very chatty.
Away team, Transporter Room 4.
I hope you'll forgive the darkness.
We are not comfortable in the light.
Praetor Shinzon?
Captain Picard.
Jean Luc Picard.
I'd always imagined you a little taller.
Isn't that odd?
Now, you may scan me
without subterfuge, Commander Data.
You are not as we imagined you.
No?
You are human.
Why have you asked us to come here?
Praetor?
I've never met a human woman before.
I'm only half human.
Deanna Troi of Betazed.
Empathic and telepathic abilities.
Ship's counselor.
All this I knew, but I never knew
you were so beautiful.
You seem quite familiar
with our personnel.
Oh, I am, Commander Riker.
May I touch your hair?
We came to Romulus on a matter we
were assured was of great importance.
If you have anything to say to us
as representatives of the Federation,
I suggest you do it now.
Yes. I'm sorry, Captain.
There is so much we need to talk about.
I would be interested to know
what we are talking about.
Unity, Captain.
Tearing down the walls between us
to recognize that we are one.
I'm talking of the thing
that makes us the same.
Peace.
We want peace.
Right now you're thinking
this all sounds too good to be true,
but you're also thinking
that the chance for peace
is too promising to ignore.
Am I right?
Yes.
Then, perhaps it's time to add
some illumination to our discussion.
Computer, raise the lighting four levels.
When I was very young,
I was stricken with an odd disease.
I developed a hypersensitivity to sound.
Even the slightest whisper
caused me agony.
No one could do anything about it.
Finally, I was taken to a doctor who had
some experience of Terran illnesses.
And he diagnosed me
with Shalaft's Syndrome.
Do you know of it, Captain?
Yes.
Then you know
it's a very rare syndrome.
Genetic.
Apparently, all the male members
of a family have it.
Eventually, I was treated and now
I can hear as well as you can, Captain.
I can see as well as you can.
I can feel everything you feel.
In fact,
I feel exactly what you feel.
Don't I Jean Luc?
Come to dinner tomorrow on Romulus.
Just the two of us.
Or should I say,
just the one of us?
I think you'll be wanting this.
Until tomorrow then, Captain.
We have much to discuss.
Computer, return lighting
to previous level.
There's no doubt, Captain.
Right down to your aggressive
strain of Shalaft's Syndrome.
He's a clone.
They probably used a hair follicle
or a skin cell.
Why?
I intend to find out, Number One.
Inform Starfleet of the situation.
I need to know
where the hell he came from.
Counselor.
We supported you Shinzon,
when you assassinated the Senate.
You told us the timing was perfect
for an attack on the Federation.
I don't understand why now you delay.
You don't have to understand.
And bringing the Enterprise here,
what possible purpose
could that serve?
I have a purpose.
Then, perhaps you'll enlighten us.
Silence, Romulan!
You really must learn patience,
Commander.
Spend 18 hours every day
under the lash of a Romulan guard
and you'll soon understand patience.
Now go.
Commander Donatra.
Please remain.
There's a word I want you to consider.
Allegiance.
It's something I demand
from those who serve me.
Do I serve you?
Yes.
And I think faithfully.
Commander Suran on the other hand,
gives me pause.
Here's another word, Praetor.
Trust.
Do you trust me?
How far does that trust extend?
How deep does it go?
What must a commander do
to prove herself faithful to you?
What must a woman do?
You are not a woman.
You are a Romulan.
Serve me faithfully
and you will be rewarded.
Keep those lovely eyes,
on Commander Suran.
And at the first sign of treachery...
Dispose of him?
Then you will have proven yourself.
Now go.
And Commander,
if you ever touch me again,
I'll kill you.
The Romulans had somehow
gained possession of your DNA
and I had been created.
And when I was ready,
they were going to replace you,
with me.
Put a Romulan agent
at the heart of Starfleet.
It was a bold plan.
What happened?
As happens frequently on Romulus,
a new government came to power.
They decided to abandon the plan.
They were afraid
that I might be discovered,
and that it would lead to war.
Not quite the face you remember.
Not quite.
A lifetime of violence will do that.
They broke my nose, my jaw.
But so much is the same.
The eyes.
Surely you recognize the eyes?
Yes.
Our eyes reflect our lives, don't they?
And yours are so confident.
So, I'm not as tall as you expected?
I had always hoped
I might hit two meters.
As had I.
How did you end up on Remus?
They sent me there to die.
How could a mere human survive
the dilithium mines?
Not that it mattered
as I was no longer part of their plans
against the Federation.
In those terrible depths
lived only the damned.
Together with the Reman slaves,
I was condemned to an existence
of unceasing labor and starvation
under the brutal heel
of the Romulan guards.
Only the very strongest
had any hope of survival.
I was only a child when they took me.
Then I didn't see the sun or the stars
again for nearly 10 years.
The only thing the Romulan guards
hated more than the Remans
was me.
But one man took pity on me.
The man that became my viceroy.
He protected me
from the cruelty of the guards
and taught me how to survive.
And in that dark place
where there was nothing of myself,
I found my Reman brothers.
They showed me the only true kindness
I've ever known.
You're doing this
to liberate the Remans?
That is the single thought
behind everything I have done.
From building the Scimitarat a secret
base to assembling my army.
Finally, coming to Romulus in force.
I knew they would never give us
our freedom. I would have to take it.
How many Romulans died
for your freedom?
Too many.
But the point is that finally the Empire
is realizing that there is a better way.
And that way is peace.
You don't trust me.
I have no reason to.
You have every reason.
If you had lived my life,
and experienced the
suffering of my people,
you'd be standing where I am.
And if you had lived my life
you would understand
my responsibility to the Federation.
I cannot allow my personal feelings
to unduly influence my decisions.
All I have are my personal feelings.
I want to know
what it means to be human.
The Remans have given me a future.
But you can tell me about my past.
I can tell you about my past.
Were we Picards always warriors?
I think of myself as an explorer.
Were we always explorers?
I was the first Picard
to leave our solar system.
It caused quite a stir in the family.
But...
I'd spent my youth...
Looking up at the stars,
dreaming about what was up there,
about...
New worlds.
I'm trying to believe you, Shinzon.
If there is one ideal that
the Federation holds most dear,
it is that all men,
all races, can be united.
What better example?
A Starfleet captain,
standing in the Romulan Senate.
Nothing would make me more proud
than to take your hand in friendship.
In time.
When that trust has been earned.
Captain, we have had an unauthorized
access into the main computer.
Source?
It's gonna take some time
to figure that out, Captain.
The data stream was rerouted
through substations all over the ship.
What programs were accessed?
Well.
That's what I can't figure out.
It's mostly just basic stellar cartography.
Star charts, communications protocols,
some uplinks
from colony tracking stations.
It's not even restricted material.
Nevertheless, we must learn the source.
Keep me informed.
Captain, there's something else.
I was reviewing the sensor logs.
Look at this.
When the Scimitardecloaked,
there was a momentary spike
in the tertiary EM band. There.
You're not going to believe this.
It's thalaron.
I thought thalaron radiation
was theoretical.
Which is why our initial
scans didn't pick it up.
But he's got it, Captain.
Thalaron research
was banned in the Federation
because of its biogenic properties.
It has the ability to consume organic
material at the subatomic level.
I can't overestimate the danger
of thalaron radiation Jean Luc.
A microscopic amount could kill
every living thing
on this ship in a matter of seconds.
I understand. Keep on it.
I want to know what he has
and how we can neutralize any threat.
I need options.
This was a mistake.
We're wasting time.
My time.
And I shall spend it how I choose.
Do not forget our mission, Shinzon.
We must act. Now.
We'll return to the Scimitar.
I was merely curious about him.
Come.
Beverly, come in.
Remember him?
He was a bit cocky, as I recall.
He was a damned fool.
Selfish. Ambitious.
Very much in need of seasoning.
He turned out all right.
I really wanted to believe Shinzon.
But this thalaron radiation
just can't be explained away.
Whatever he's after,
it isn't peace.
Is he very much the way you were?
Oh, yes.
Data to Captain Picard.
Go ahead, Data.
Captain,
Geordi and I have identified the source
of the unauthorized computer access.
And I believe we have found a way
to gain a tactical advantage.
On my way.
Will?
As ship's counselor,
I recommend you get some sleep.
Some honeymoon.
Come to bed.
Imzadi.
Imzadi.
He can never know you as I can.
He can never touch you as I can.
This isn't real!
Then feel my lips.
I'm with you, imzadi.
I'll always be with you now.
This isn't real!
Deanna, what's the matter?
No!
Deanna?
Deanna!
Deanna!
No!
The bond has been broken.
Find her again.
Praetor,
we've received the transponder signal.
It's accelerating.
You have no more time for games.
Have the doctors prepare.
Transport.
Begin the download.
Tea, hot.
Aside from slightly elevated levels
of adrenalin and serotonin,
you're perfectly normal.
Deanna,
can you describe it?
It was...
It was a violation.
Shinzon's viceroy seems to have
the ability to reach into my thoughts.
I've become a liability.
I request to be relieved of my duties.
Permission denied.
If you can endure more of
these assaults, I need you at my side.
Now more than ever.
The Enterprise
is far from Federation space...
Worf, shields up!
Hello, Jean Luc.
Why am I here?
Why have you done this?
I was lonely.
What are you going to do?
I need a sample of your blood.
What is it your Borg friends say?
Resistance is futile.
Oh, yes, the android.
The bait you couldn't refuse.
All of this so you could capture me?
Don't be so vain.
After we found it,
we had to make a few modifications.
An extra memory port,
a hidden transponder.
I've now gained access
to Starfleet's communications protocol.
I now know the exact location
of your entire fleet.
You may go.
Where?
Out of my sight.
What is all this about?
It's about destiny, Picard.
It's about a Reman outcast.
You're not Reman!
And I'm not quite human.
So what am I?
My life is meaningless
as long as you're still alive.
What am I while you exist?
A shadow?
An echo?
If your issues are with me,
then deal with me.
This has nothing to do with my ship.
Nothing to do with the Federation.
But it does.
We will no longer
bow before anyone as slaves.
Not the Romulans,
and not your mighty Federation.
We are a race bred for war.
And conquest.
Are you ready to plunge
the entire quadrant into war
to satisfy your own personal demons?
It amazes me
how little you know yourself.
I'm incapable of such an act.
You are me.
The same noble Picard blood
runs through our veins.
Had you lived my life,
you'd be doing exactly as I am.
So look in the mirror.
See yourself.
Consider that, Captain.
I can think of no greater torment for you.
Shinzon.
I'm a mirror for you as well.
Not for long, Captain.
I'm afraid you won't survive
to witness the victory
of the echo over the voice.
His cloak is perfect.
No tachyon emissions,
no residual antiprotons.
Keep at it, Geordi.
Find a way in.
Praetor Shinzon, needs the prisoner.
About time, Mr. Data.
My mission was a success, sir.
I've located the source of the radiation.
This entire ship
is essentially a thalaron generator.
Its power relays lead
to an activation matrix on the Bridge.
It's a weapon.
It would appear so.
What about the download?
Shinzon believes he has
our communication protocols.
They will give him inaccurate locations
for all Starfleet vessels.
Good work.
Sir.
Geordi supplied me with a prototype
for the Emergency Transport Unit.
I recommend you use this, sir,
to return to the Enterprise.
It'll only work for one of us.
Yes, sir.
We'll find a way off together.
It is time for the procedure.
Move, puny human animal.
A bit less florid, Data.
Kill him!
This way, sir.
There is a shuttlebay
94 meters from our current position.
There it is, sir.
Go!
Data!
It appears to have
an encrypted security system.
Alacrity would be appreciated,
Commander!
Reman is a most complex language
with pictographs
representing certain verb roots...
While I find that fascinating, Data,
we really need that door open!
According to the ship's manifest,
they're Scorpionclass attack fliers.
Data, what do you imagine this is?
Port thruster, sir.
Would you like me to drive, sir?
Data, can you open
the shuttlebay doors?
Negative, sir.
They've erected a force field
around the external portholes.
Well, then, only one way to go.
Do you think this is a wise
course of action, sir?
We're about to find out, Data.
Power up the disruptors.
Ready, Captain.
Fire.
Tractor beam, now!
Worf, lock on transporters.
I have them, sir.
This has gone far enough.
I thought we'd discussed patience,
Commander.
Mine is wearing thin.
We supported you
because you promised action.
And yet, you delay.
The Enterprise is immaterial.
It won't even make it out
of the Neutral Zone.
And in two days,
the Federation will be crippled
beyond repair.
Does that satisfy you?
For the moment.
And when I return,
you and I shall have a little talk
about showing proper respect.
What's happening to his face?
Commander, a moment.
Are you truly prepared
to have your hands drenched in blood?
He's not planning to defeat Earth.
He's planning its annihilation.
And his sins will mark us
and our children for generations.
The more I studied his DNA,
the more confusing it got.
Finally, I could come
to only one conclusion.
Shinzon was created
with temporal RNA sequencing.
He was designed
so that at a certain point
his aging process
could be accelerated
to reach your age more quickly.
He was engineered
to skip 30 years of his life.
But when the temporal sequencing
wasn't activated,
his cellular structure
started breaking down.
He's dying.
Dying?
Can anything be done for him?
Nothing, except a complete transfusion
from the only donor
with compatible DNA.
You.
How long does he have?
I can't say for sure.
But the rate of decay
seems to be accelerating.
Then he'll come for me.
Brother,
I cannot move.
No.
I have only activated your cognitive
and communication subroutines.
Why?
Because you are dangerous.
Why?
You have been programmed
to gather information
that can be used against this ship.
I do not understand.
I know.
Do you know anything about
Shinzon's plans against the Federation?
No.
Do you have any knowledge
of the tactical abilities of his ship?
No.
Can I move now?
No.
What are you doing?
I must deactivate you.
For how long?
Indefinitely.
How long is...
A long time, brother.
It's called a cascading biogenic pulse.
The unique properties
of thalaron radiation
allow the energy beam
to expand almost without limit.
Depending on its radiant intensity,
it could encompass a ship,
or a planet.
He would only have built
a weapon of such scope,
for one reason.
He's going after Earth.
How can you be certain?
I know how he thinks.
Destroy humanity,
you cripple the Federation.
The Romulans invade.
No way of penetrating his cloak?
No.
So he could pass within 10 meters
of every ship in Starfleet
and they'd never know.
We do have one advantage, though.
He needs your blood to live.
He might come after you first.
I'm counting on it.
We've been ordered to Sector 1045.
Our fleet has been diverted
to meet us there.
Strength in numbers.
Yes, at least that's what we hope.
He must not be allowed
to use that weapon.
All other concerns are secondary.
You understand me?
Yes, sir.
All hands,
battle stations.
Initiate the force field.
Captain's Personal Log, supplemental.
We're heading toward Federation space
at maximum warp.
The crew has responded
with the dedication
I've come to expect of them.
Like a thousand other commanders
on a thousand other battlefields,
I wait for the dawn.
How long?
A matter of hours.
We must begin the procedure now.
How long until we reach the Rift?
Seven minutes.
Data, what's our current position?
How soon until we reach the fleet?
At our current velocity,
we will arrive at Sector 1045
in approximately 40 minutes, sir.
For now we see but
through a glass, darkly.
Sir?
He said he is a mirror.
Of you, sir?
Yes.
I do not agree.
Although you share
the same genetic structure,
the events of your life
have created a unique individual.
If I had lived his life,
is it possible that
I would have rejected my humanity?
The B4 is physically
identical to me,
although his neural pathways
are not as advanced.
But even if they were,
he would not be me.
How can you be sure?
I aspire sir,
to be better than I am.
B4 does not.
Nor does Shinzon.
We are passing through
the Bassen Rift, sir.
The projection will return
when we have cleared it.
It's interfering with our uplink
from Starfleet cartography?
The Rift affects all longrange communica...
Commander Riker,
evasive maneuvers.
Target weapons systems and shields.
I don't want the Enterprise destroyed.
Can you learn to see in the dark,
Captain?
Report.
He's firing from the cloak.
We can't get a lock.
He disabled our warp drive
with his first shot.
We only have impulse, Captain.
Mr. Worf, prepare
a full phaser spread, zero elevation.
All banks on my mark.
Scan for shield impacts.
Stand by photon torpedoes.
Aye, sir.
Fire!
You're too slow, old man.
Attack pattern Shinzon Theta.
We are losing dorsal shields.
Full axis rotation to port!
Fire all ventral phasers.
Minimal damage to the Scimitar.
Defensive pattern Kirk Epsilon.
Get the shields online, Geordi.
Already on it.
Counselor Troi, report to the Bridge.
Captain,
we are being hailed.
On screen.
Captain Picard,
will you join me in your Ready Room?
You can't trace my holographic
emitters, Captain, so don't bother.
And you can't contact Starfleet.
It's just the two of us now Jean Luc.
As it should be.
Why are you here?
To accept your surrender.
I can clearly destroy you at any time.
Lower your shields and allow me
to transport you to my ship.
And the Enterprise?
I have little interest
in your quaint vessel, Captain.
Look at me, Shinzon.
Your heart, your hands,
your eyes, are the same as mine.
The blood pumping within you,
the raw material is the same.
We have the same potential.
That's the past, Captain.
It can be the future.
Buried deep within you,
beneath all the years of pain and anger,
there is something
that has never been nurtured,
the potential
to make yourself a better man
and that is what it is to be human.
To make yourself more than you are.
Oh, yes.
I know you.
There was a time
you looked at the stars
and dreamed of what might be.
Childish dreams, Captain.
Lost in the dilithium mines of Remus.
I am what you see now.
I see more than that.
I see what you could be.
The man who is Shinzon of Remus
and Jean Luc Picard
could never exterminate
the population of an entire planet.
He's better than that.
He is what his life has made him.
And what will you do with that life?
Waste it in a blaze of hatred?
There is a better way.
It's too late.
Never.
You still have a choice.
Make the right one now.
I can't fight what I am.
Yes, you can.
I'll show you my true nature.
Our nature.
And as Earth dies, remember:
I will always,
forever be Shinzon of Remus.
And my voice shall echo through
time long after yours has faded,
to a dim memory.
Two ships decloaking, sir.
Romulan.
Captain.
Just when I thought
this couldn't get any worse.
We are being hailed.
On screen.
Captain Picard,
Commander Donatra of
the warbird Valdore.
Might we be of assistance?
Assistance?
The Empire considers this
a matter of internal security.
We regret you've become involved.
Commander, when this is over,
I owe you a drink.
Romulan ale, Captain.
Let's get to work.
You heard the lady.
Let's go to work.
Mr. Worf, coordinate our attack
with the Valdore Tactical Officer.
Triangulate all fire
on any shield impacts.
Aye, sir.
Aft shields down to 40%.
Keep our bow on the Scimitar.
Auxiliary power to forward shields.
Aye, sir.
Target the flanking warbird.
All forward disruptor banks on my mark.
Forward shields down to 10%.
Bring us about.
Drop cloak on the aft port quadrant.
Prepare for full emergency stop.
What?
You heard me!
He's losing his cloak.
Stand by all forward disruptor banks.
She's almost on us.
Not yet.
Praetor!
Full stop!
Fire!
Restore the aft cloak
and bring us about.
I'm afraid that drink
will have to wait, Captain.
You have life support?
For the moment.
But we're dead in the water.
Understood.
We're losing structural integrity
on Decks 12 through 17,
sections 4 through 10.
Emergency Force fields are holding.
Evacuate those decks.
Reroute field power to forward shields.
Captain,
I think I may have
a way to find them.
Prepare for a lateral run,
all starboard disruptors.
What is it?
What is it?
She's here.
He's resisting me.
No!
Remember me?
Now.
Fire at will.
Prepare a boarding party.
Bring me Picard.
You.
Get the cloak back!
Target all shield coordinates, Beta3.
All disruptors fire!
Captain, we've lost ventral
shielding on Deck 29!
Divert all power and compensate.
Intruder alert.
Number One.
Let's go.
Security detail to Deck 29.
The Romulans fought with honor.
Yes, they did, Mr. Worf.
Worf, cover me.
Medical teams to the Bridge.
Report.
We have exhausted
our complement of photon torpedoes.
Phaser banks are down to 4%, sir.
What if we targeted all our phasers
in a concentrated pattern?
The Scimitar shields are still at 70%.
It would make no difference, Captain.
What's he doing?
He wants to look me in the eye.
We've got him.
He thinks he knows exactly
what I'm going to do.
Geordi, divert all power to the engines.
Take it from life support, if you have to.
Give me everything you've got.
Ready, Captain.
We are being hailed, sir.
Deanna stand by.
Open a channel.
I hope you're still alive Jean Luc?
Oh yes, I am.
Don't you think it's time to surrender?
Why should the rest of your crew
have to die?
Shinzon, I don't think I ever told you
about my first Academy evaluation.
In particular,
I was thought to be extremely...
overconfident.
Captain, as much as I enjoy
listening to you talk, I really think...
On my mark, Deanna.
All hands, brace for impact.
Engage.
Hard to port!
Divert all power to the engines.
Full reverse.
Reconfiguring now.
Computer, stand by
autodestruct sequence Omega.
Recognize voice pattern
Jean Luc Picard.
Authorization Alpha Alpha 305.
Autodestruct is offline.
Disruptors are not functional, sir.
Deploy the weapon.
Kill everything on that ship,
then set a course for Earth.
We must complete our mission.
Matrix initiated.
Sequencing procedure
for thalaron radiation transfer
activated.
Some ideals are worth dying for,
aren't they, Jean Luc?
Thalaron intermix procedure initiated.
Deployment of targeting arms
commencing.
How long until he can fire?
The targeting sequence should
take about seven minutes, Captain.
When the targeting arms
are fully deployed,
the matrix on the Bridge
will relay the thalaron radiation
to the firing points at their tips.
No one on the Enterprise will survive.
How can he? He'll kill you.
It's not about me anymore.
Prepare for a sitetosite transport.
Captain, I don't think that the transport...
That's an order, Commander.
Sir, allow me to go.
Data, this is something I have to do.
Sir.
Data.
You have the Bridge, Commander.
Try and put some distance
between you and the Scimitar.
Now, Mr. La Forge.
Aye, sir.
That's it.
Transporters are down.
System is fused.
Counselor Troi,
please assume command.
Geordi, come with me.
Thalaron intermix level.
30%
Four minutes to firing sequence.
Thalaron intermix level.
50%
Three minutes to firing sequence.
Thalaron intermix level.
60%
Two minutes to firing sequence.
Thalaron intermix level.
80%
I'm glad we're together now.
Our destiny is complete.
One minute to firing sequence.
Thalaron intermix level completed.
30 seconds to firing sequence.
Goodbye.
Ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five,
four, three, two...
Data?
Captain.
It's Data.
Captain, we're being hailed.
On screen.
Open a channel.
This is Commander Donatra
of the Valdore.
We're dispatching shuttles
with medical personnel and supplies.
Thank you, Commander.
You've earned a friend
in the Romulan Empire today, Captain.
I hope, the first of many.
Valdore out.
Geordi,
prepare the shuttlebay for arrivals.
They don't know our procedures.
Just open the doors.
I'll take care of it, Captain.
You have the Bridge, Number One.
Thank you.
To absent friends.
To family.
First time I saw Data,
he was leaning against a tree
in the holodeck,
trying to whistle.
Funniest thing I ever saw.
No matter what he did,
he couldn't get the tune right.
What was that song?
Can't remember the song.
Come.
Will.
Permission to disembark, sir.
Granted.
So...
where's the Titan off to?
The Neutral Zone.
We're heading up the new task force.
Apparently, the Romulans
are interested in talking.
I can't think of
a better man for the job.
If I may, just a word of advice
about your first command?
Anything.
When your First Officer insists
that you can't go on away missions...
Ignore him.
I intend to.
Serving with you...
has been an honor.
The honor was mine, Captain.
I don't know
if all this has made any sense.
But I wanted you to know
what kind of man he was.
In his quest to be more like us,
he helped us to see
what it means to be human.
My...
My brother was not human.
No, he wasn't.
But his wonder,
his curiosity about
every facet of human nature
allowed all of us to see
the best parts of ourselves.
He evolved.
He embraced change
because he always wanted
to be better than he was.
I...
I do not understand.
Well, I hope someday you will.
Captain, the warp engines
are ready to go online.
I'm on my way.
Please inform Commander La Forge.
We'll talk later.
Never saw the sun
Never saw the sun
Never saw the sun
Shining so bright
Shining so bright
Never saw things
Going so right.
Going so right
By LESAIGNEUR