The Best Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 3, Episode 18 Quotes

- You had no right to put us through this just to satisfy your curiosity.
- Why not?
- Because kidnapping is an immoral assault.
- The rights of other races must be respected.
- This concept of morality is a very interesting human characteristic.
- We shall have to study it sometime.
- Now, Mr. Worf.

- We have finally succeeded in eradicating the phyrox plague on cor caro/I v and will soon be preparing to leave orbit and proceed to our next mission: A rendezvous with the u.S.S. Hood to assist in their terraforming efforts on browder iv.

- Number one, has it occurred to you that you might be the one with the problem?
- I'm aware you've been under stress and I am willing to let the matter drop if you report to sickbay for a full examination.
- Otherwise,
- I will have to relieve you from duty.
- Think about it.

- I would think you were playing games with me.
- Are you sorry you came tonight?
- I didn't say that.
- Good.
- Because I'm delighted that you did.
- But, perhaps we should call it a night.

- Picard to enterprise.
- Anyone receiving this transmission, please respond.
- Security override. Priority one.
- Is something the matter, lieutenant?

Kova: It's well known that my species possesses superior intelligence, and, uh, I am considered among the brightest of my people.
Mitena: And the least modest.

- Would you care to dance?
- I thought you didn't dance.
- On special occasions.
- I don't think I told you, but I'm glad you're back on the enterprise.
- I missed our friendship.

- I may have overloaded it, sir.
- Picard: Mr. Tholl.
- I still think this is a mistake.
- Now what?
- We're no better off than when we started.

- Because I've decided to conduct an experiment of my own.
- I want to see how you react to being imprisoned.
- Captain, our species cannot bear captivity.
- We were merely curious.
- We meant no harm.
- We did not, after all, injure you in any way.
- Imprisonment is an injury, regardless of how you justify it.

Captain: [Picard has returned to the Enterprise, his double having been unmasked] ... The replica was convincing?
Commander William T. Riker: Very convincing, but... not perfect.
Captain: How so?
Commander William T. Riker: [DELETED LINE] Well, sir... I find it hard to believe that a *Frenchman* would lead his crew in singing the official naval march of the *United Kingdom*... even if he knew the lyrics.
Captain: [DELETED LINE] Very astute, Number One... I've never claimed to be a singer at all.
[Riker smirks]
Commander William T. Riker: [DELETED LINE] That, too.
Captain: I look forward to reading your report, Commander... At least, I *think* I do.

- But I wouldn't call it food.
- Picard: Hmm.

- You.
- No, don't even think that.
- Picard, you won't let him...
- Picard: Esoqq.
- How long can you go without food?
- Three days.
- Perhaps four.
- No longer?
- No longer.

- I'm merely trying to come up with some explanation for your abduction.
- I'm sorry, picard.
- I can't give you one.
- I'm neither important enough to hold for ransom nor radical enough to be dangerous.
- I'm a simple public servant.
- Nevertheless, Mr. Tholl...

- But we both know it's not as simple as that.
- Would it be simpler if I were not your commanding officer?
- Simpler, perhaps.
- But that's not the only issue.
- I guess, right now, I'm comfortable with our relationship just the way it is.

- Haro: And the least modest.
- What is this? Picard: Food.
- The only food?
- It would seem so.
- Poison!
- Does this mean there's nothing here for you to eat?

- Well, I don't like keeping you in the dark, but for the next few days,
- I may not be able to be as communicative as usual.
- It may make things difficult for you.
- Don't worry about me, sir.
- I can handle it.
- You can count on all of us, sir.
- I appreciate that, number one.

Captain: Well. I think this charade has gone far enough.
Captain: [to Haro] Don't you?
Mitena: I don't understand.
Captain: Oh yes, you do. This isn't a holding cell. It's a laboratory maze, a carefully structured test. It's an experiment to see how well we react under pressure.
Esoqq: How do you know?
Captain: It's the only explanation. Look at the four of us. We do have something in common: we all react differently to authority.
Captain: [to Tholl] You, the collaborator, defer to whoever has control.
Captain: [to Esoqq] You, the anarchist, reject authority in any form. I, a Starfleet captain, trained to command.
Captain: [to Haro] And you, a Starfleet cadet, sworn to obey a superior officer's authority. - Our captors have placed us here, and have devised obstacles for us to overcome. They give us food, which Esoqq can't eat, to make him a threat. They give us a door we can't open - until the four of us cooperate. And each time we succeed, they deal us reverses, to set us against each other again,
Captain: [to Haro] while *you*... observe our reactions.
Mitena: Sir, I've been trying to help...
Captain: I found it unlikely that a first-year cadet would know of the Enterprise's visit to Mintaka III, so I tested you. Starfleet has classified the Cor Caroli V plague a secret. No cadet would have knowledge of that incident.
Mitena: [whispering] Captain...
Captain: So, you may as well drop this pretense. I'm not playing any further. I'm quitting this game! As far as I am concerned, this experiment is over!
Mitena: You are correct, Captain Picard.

- Lieutenant, contact the hood and inform them of our delay.
- Aye, commander.
- Belay that order.
- There will be no further communication off this ship without my prior authorization.
- Riker: Commander, may I have a word with you?
- Mr. Data, you have the bridge.
- Aye, sir.

- Commander, ship's sensors detect an abnormal energy reading in the captain's quarters.
- Type?
- Undetermined.
- Riker to captain picard.
- Security team to captain's quarters.

- Picard: Space, the final frontier.
- These are the voyages of the starship enterprise.
- Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.

Alien: [after being trapped in a force field] Captain, our species cannot bear captivity!
Alien: We were merely... curious, we meant no harm.
Alien: We did not, after all, injure you in any way.
Captain: Imprisonment is an injury, regardless of how you justify it.

- You must trust us.
- We wish only to return to our worlds.
- Were you abducted from chalna?
- You know my planet?
- Oh, yes.
- I visited there 12 years ago while commanding the stargazer.

Kova: My race has no enemies.
Captain: None? In the last three hundred years of Mizarian history, your planet has been conquered six times!

- Well, then, return to your post.
- Will you have dinner with me tonight?
- In ten-forward?
- What about my quarters?
- More intimate.
- Jean-Luc, you are full of surprises today.
- I take that to be a yes.

[Esoqq picks up a food disc]
Esoqq: What is this?
Captain: Food.
Esoqq: The *only* food?
Captain: It would seem so.
[Esoqq tastes the disc, then throws it away]
Esoqq: POISON!
Kova: Does this mean there's nothing here for you to eat?
[Esoqq examines Kova Tholl intently]
Esoqq: You!

- No longer. Commander riker has taken charge of the enterprise.
- Our species is telepathically linked.
- We are all in continual contact.
- Much more efficient than your primitive vocal communications.
- We would like to pursue this study, but of course, your awareness of it would taint the results.
- We will therefore return you to your places of origin.

- And anyone foolish enough to listen to you.
- You've shown none of the concern captain picard would for the safety of this ship, the welfare of this crew.
- Mr. Worf, escort commander riker from the bridge.
- Ensign crusher, take us away from this pulsar.
- Heading 185 Mark 32, full impulse.

Captain: Esoqq, I've been trying to determine if we have a common enemy. Someone with a reason for confining us here.
Esoqq: There are Chalnoth who would kill me if they could. But kidnap? There is no reason.
Captain: You have many enemies.
Esoqq: None of consequence. I've slain all the ones who mattered. That shocks you, Bolian?
Mitena: A little.
Esoqq: [to Tholl] And you?
Kova: Oh, I'm not surprised. I've heard about your race. You're uncivilised. You have no laws, no system of government.
Esoqq: The Chalnoth have no use for laws or governments. We are strong. We obey no one.
Kova: You live in anarchy, murdering one another. That mentality may get us all killed.
Esoqq: And you may be the first!
Captain: Both of you. This is getting us nowhere.
Kova: Neither is asking us useless questions, Picard.

Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge: [on his success at poker] Lady Luck left me long ago.

Esoqq: My given name is Esoqq. It means 'Fighter'.
Kova: I'll bet half the names in the Chalnoth language mean 'Fighter'.
Esoqq: Mizarians. Your names all mean 'Surrender'!
Kova: We are a peaceful race. A race of thinkers.
Esoqq: A race of cowards.

- the combination's too complex to hit at random.
- And was punished.
- Punished?
- How?
- Severe pain.
- Some sort of energy beam.
- I won't go near that panel again.

Esoqq: The sound of your voice is beginning to anger me!

Commander William T. Riker: What is our mission?
False: I'm under no obligation to tell you that.
Commander William T. Riker: If you don't, you force me to take command of this vessel.
False: On what grounds?
Commander William T. Riker: You are endangering this ship for no reason.
False: No reason *you're* aware of.
Commander William T. Riker: That's not good enough. Your behavior has been erratic.
False: Erratic enough to justify mutiny? Do you honestly believe you have sufficient evidence to convince a board of inquiry?
Commander William T. Riker: No, I don't. But I can't let you risk the lives of this crew.

- No, they trust you.
- How far do you think that trust goes?
- I know, counselor, that the crew has always had full confidence in me.
- But what if it were to change?
- Well, I'd inform you, sir, of course.
- Thank you, counselor.

- Haro: The design is simple.
- Cross-circuiting the door mechanism should be easy.
- Make it so.
- Yes, sir.
- I've got it.
- I warned you.

- the ship will not withstand the magnetic fields and radiation.
- We will not survive.
- Take us in, Mr. Crusher.
- Riker: Belay that order.
- You're relieved of duty, commander.
- Mr. Worf, confine Mr. Riker to his quarters.

- Well,
- I refuse to help.
- As you wish, Mr. Tholl.
- We must get inside this panel.
Esoqq: Not very sturdy.
- Stand back, haro.

- I had been meditating privately and for no reason whatever,
- I lost consciousness.
- What can you tell me about our captors?
- Nothing.
- They've never shown themselves.
- Four sleeping areas.
- That implies we may be joined by another captive.