Star Trek: Deep Space Nine s06e14 Episode Script

One Little Ship

Captain's Log, Stardate 5147 4.
2.
The Defiant has been ordered to investigate a rare subspace|compression phenomenon recently discovered|in Federation space.
This scientific assignment|is a welcome change from months of combat duty|against the Dominion.
Three of my officers|are taking a runabout into the anomaly's vortex.
The runabout and its crew will be subjected|to sever spatial distortion, so we have activated a tractor|beam to minimize the effect.
So, uh how small are they? The miniaturization|process won't begin until the runabout reaches the|edge of the accretion disk.
I see.
And, uh then they'll begin to shrink? Yes, sir.
Major, are you laughing at our investigation|of this subspace anomaly? No, sir.
The data collected here could|provide Starfleet with the key to creating transwarp corridors|through space.
It could give us a substantial tactical advantage|over the Dominion.
Oh, it's very|important research.
What?! I'm not laughing.
I just because we are shrinking three people|to the size of coffee cups-- Smaller, actually.
I do not see what is so humorous|about being small.
Neither do I.
On screen.
Their visual signal's|degrading, Captain.
We have audio only.
Go ahead, Rubicon.
We're about to enter|the accretion disk.
I wish I were with you, old man.
I'll send you a postcard.
Tell Worf I look forward|to hearing his poem.
I bet it'll be inspiring-- We'll talk again once we've left|the accretion disk and reversed the effects of the compression.
Rubicon out.
Good luck, Rubicon.
We've lost their signal,|Captain.
Thank you, Ensign.
Mr.
Worf.
Poem? It is an ancient|Klingon tradition to commemorate|an important event with a poem.
Jadzia asked me to compose one|for this occasion.
Well, what have you got so far? They've penetrated|the accretion disk.
Now, is it my imagination or did the kid|just cover for him? This could be the beginning|of a beautiful friendship.
They are getting smaller.
Even the space within their subatomic structure|is shrinking.
I wonder what it feels like.
I don't feel any smaller.
Well, believe it or not you're about a meter tall|and shrinking fast.
In a few minutes you're going to be half the size|of a combadge.
There's a comforting thought.
The gamma ray flux|is increasing.
We should close|the blast shutters.
Take a last look.
We're on sensors from here on.
You're sure we'll return|to our normal size once we clear the anomaly? The probes did.
You saw the data.
Something wrong? No, I'm fine.
I'm just not in love|with the idea of being small.
What are you smirking at? You're as small as I am.
Actually, you're sitting of the anomaly,|which means you've shrunk .
04 percent more than I have.
What was that? The tractor beam is fluctuating.
Something's wrong.
The Jem'Hadar are coming around|for another pass! Radiation from the vortex must have masked|their warp signature.
Return fire, Mr.
Worf.
Ensign,|pull the Rubicon out of there.
Phasers are off-line.
We're a sitting duck as long as we're tethered|to the runabout.
I'm not going to leave them|in there if I can help it.
Mr.
Worf, go down|to Auxiliary Control and target the phasers manually.
Aye, sir.
I'm losing the Rubicon, sir.
If we're going|to get out of here I need warp power now! I'm on it.
Report.
Shield generators and impulse|engines are off-line, sir.
Warp engines, too.
Surrender or you will all be killed.
Chief, you okay? I think so.
Julian? I'm fine, but you're not.
Oh, that's better.
That was the easy part.
Well, the good news|is we're alive, so we must have escaped the anomaly.
The bad news|is the external sensors and the com system are down.
I can patch around most of|the damage, but it'll take time.
Better add the blast|shutters to your list.
I can't get them open.
There you go.
|Good as new.
Oh, you don't suppose|that thing'll work on our|communications system? I'm picking up the Defiant's|transponder signal.
We can home in on that.
Going to one-quarter impulse.
Chief, either|open these shutters or give me external sensors--|whichever's quicker.
I need to see|where we're going.
The Bridge is secure.
Tactical report.
The Bridge officers|are confined in the mess hall-- other survivors|in the cargo bay.
We will have impulse power|back on line in 30 minutes but it will take several hours|to restore warp capability.
It must be gratifying|for an Elder to end his career|with a victory.
I feel privileged|to be here with you at such a moment.
There is still much to do|before we declare victory.
Until we leave|Federation space we are vulnerable to-- I am First and I have declared victory.
That is, of course,|your prerogative.
Open a channel to the Vorta.
Yes, First.
We have the boarding party.
Ah, First.
Your report? The Defiant is ours.
Good.
Very, very good.
I must admit, I was|initially quite skeptical about you|and the other new Jem'Hadar bred in this Quadrant, but this|is a most impressive debut.
Wouldn't you agree, Elder? The takeover of the ship|was competently executed.
Do I detect a note of jealousy|in your voice? I'm sure it must be difficult for you to watch|a new race of Jem'Hadar beginning to supplant you|and the other members of the old guard.
I serve the Founders.
If it is their will|to create a new race then that is|the order of things.
But? But the Jem'Hadar bred|here in the Alpha Quadrant have not proven|themselves superior to those in the Gamma Quadrant-- at least not yet.
Not yet? It is the Alphas|who made this victory possible.
If it were not for us,|you would never-- You two can argue about this|on your own time.
First, how long|until you restore warp power? I will make a complete|survey of the ship and give you a report|in one hour.
Very well.
I await your report.
Bring me Captain Sisko.
I would suggest|that his execution can wait until we have completed repairs|to the ship.
I'm not going to execute him.
Are you about to question|my order, Second? No.
Obedience brings victory.
And victory is life.
Find the ship's transponder and shut it down.
I don't want anyone tracking us.
Yes, First.
And get these chairs|off the Bridge.
Thanks.
|That's enough.
I should have foreseen this.
I should have sent out|reconnaissance probes to scan for enemy ships or a shuttle or recalibrated the sensors.
If I had, Jadzia-- None of that would|have done any good.
The Jem'Hadar approached us from the anterior angle|of the anomaly.
Their warp signature He's just trying|to tell you that-- I do not need him|to tell me anything.
Everybody settle.
First of all, we don't know|what happened to the Rubicon.
For all we know, they got|out of the anomaly on their own.
If they did, they're headed home and in much better|shape than we are.
So let's hold off on analyzing|our mistakes for now.
If they restore warp power,|we'll be analyzing them from inside|a Dominion prison camp.
Restoring warp power might not be so simple for them.
It took us a week just to learn how to pilot|one of their ships.
We might have a chance|to retake the Defiant but we can't do anything unless we can get|out of this room.
Suggestions? Captain Sisko come with me.
Everybody sit tight.
I'll be back.
We've lost the Defiant's|transponder signal.
Coming to a full stop.
The problem isn't at this end.
They must have|stopped transmitting.
I can't keep|flying blind, Chief.
Try the shutters.
Nice work.
Ask and ye shall receive.
What the hell is that? Some kind of wall? In the middle of nowhere? Wait a minute.
|There's a symbol up there.
It looks like|a large black circle.
Anything else? Hold on.
Chief you're not going to like this.
I thought you said we'd return|to our normal size once we left the anomaly.
We should have.
We didn't leave the anomaly by the same path by|which we entered it.
So the process failed|to reverse itself.
Are you telling me|I'm going to be this bloody tall|for the rest of my life? This bloody tall, actually.
But don't worry-- all we have to do|to regain our original size is reenter the anomaly and follow our original|trajectory back out.
In theory.
In theory.
Well, I'll tell you|what isn't a theory.
We're going to need|the Defiant's help to reenter the anomaly.
With communications out,|how do we get their attention? Fly up to a window and knock? Wait.
If we're this big? That means the Rubicon|is what, this big? More or less.
And the Defiant's aft|plasma vent is this big? Are you suggesting|that we take the Rubicon inside the Defiant? Well, why not? Getting past the anti-back flow|valve might be tricky but once we're inside we've a better chance|of attracting someone's attention than|we do sitting out here.
I love it.
Let's go.
The engineering team reports|that we can start the impulse engines|in 12 minutes.
Good.
Captain Benjamin Sisko the one the Bajorans|call "the Emissary.
" I am First Kudak'Etan.
In a strange way,|you are the reason I exist.
If you had not|eliminated our fleet in the wormhole,|there would have been no need to breed Alpha Quadrant|Jem'Hadar.
You didn't bring me|here to say "thank you.
" No.
The impulse|engine sustained only minor damage|in our attack but the warp drive|was severely damaged.
I will need|your technical expertise in order to repair it.
Bring Captain Sisko|to the Engine Room so he may begin|necessary repairs.
It's a mistake.
Giving him access|to the Engine Room will only give him|an opportunity to retake the ship.
In fact, he's working on a plan|at this very moment.
I was not aware that telepathy was|a Gamma characteristic.
I know what he's thinking|because it's exactly what I would be doing|in his position.
You should kill him now|before he has a chance to put his plan into motion.
You are the Second.
I am the First.
Do not presume to tell me|what to do.
I'm glad the two of you|worked that out.
Now, what makes you think|I'm going to help you? Your choice is to repair|the warp drive or watch me execute|your crew one at a time.
Have Sixth Duran'Adar select one of the prisoners|for execution and bring him to the Bridge.
I can't do this job alone.
I'm going to need|some of my crew.
How many? I strongly suggest|you refuse this request.
You have the weapons.
Are you afraid you can't handle|a few unarmed prisoners? I won't be baited|by a prisoner and neither should you.
Okay, I'm in no hurry to reach a Dominion|prison camp.
If you want me to teach your men how to repair a warp drive,|that's fine with me.
We'll begin with primary command|and control systems.
That should take|about six hours-- then we will move up|to basic engineering theory for a class-7 warp drive.
|Then-- Enough! You may have the other three|Bridge officers but that is all.
And I'm not interested in any|more of your "suggestions.
" Now take him to the Engine Room.
Where are we, Chief? We've just about reached the bipolar flow junction,|I think.
You think? Well, I'm not used to seeing|things from this perspective.
Once we reach the flow junction,|we should be able to go up into the secondary warp|plasma feed and then exit|by the diagnostic panel.
This conduit's filthy, Chief.
Don't you ever clean up|in here? All right, all right.
Let's not badger the Chief.
Thank you.
I'm sorry.
|It was very small of me.
Whatever it is you're planning don't.
I'll be watching you and at the first sign|of treachery I will kill|all your Bridge officers.
I'm a prisoner.
I have no intention-- The First may be a fool,|but I am not.
Then it is a pity for you that you are not the First.
I was until two days ago.
If we had captured you|while I was in command we wouldn't be having|this conversation.
Deck Two, Section Five.
What happened? He is an Alpha.
I am a Gamma.
His DNA|and psychological profile are specifically designed|for combat in this Quadrant.
The Founders believe|that makes him a better leader.
What do you believe? I believe I've given you|enough information already.
We have restored impulse power|and the warp drive will be operational|in five hours.
Excellent.
It's good to see|my faith in you has not been misplaced.
The Founders will be pleased.
If you require|no more assistance I will resume|our mission to Coridan.
Let's hope the Federation's|dilithium miners will be as surprised to see us|as the Defiant's crew was.
Victory is life.
Indeed.
Set course for the nearest|Dominion outpost.
Engage impulse engines.
Uh-oh.
What is it? The magnetic plasma|guides are heating up.
They must have initiated|the impulse prestart sequence.
What does that mean then? It means this entire conduit is about to be filled|with superheated plasma.
When you say "superheated" If I can't find|another way out of here we'll be vaporized.
Is that clear? Crystal.
There's a distribution|manifold coming up.
Take the left conduit.
Then make a quick right|into the relays.
Left then right.
I hope you know|where you're going, Chief.
So do I.
Through the relays.
There's an inspection|hatch coming up on the right.
If we can figure out a way|to open the ha-- We're out of time.
What about the hatch? We'll have to open it|the old-fashioned way.
Let's not do that again.
No promises.
So where are we, Chief? We should be|in the Engine Room near the warp core.
Right.
There's the core.
Looks like the warp|drive is off-line.
Quite a mess.
I wonder what happened.
I will verify|the settings myself.
What are you doing? Realigning the dilithium|articulation frame.
Instruct him on how to|complete the realignment.
It'll take longer|to explain than just to-- Then explain it quickly.
Give him the tool.
All right.
Start by decoupling|the lateral microbrace.
That's not good.
Chief, I need visual sensors as fast as you can|get them to me.
Right.
Julian, give me a hand|down here.
Okay, you should have|visual sensors now.
The com system's|back on line.
They're forcing our crew|to repair the warp drive.
Why's the Captain|going along with this? Good question.
But if I know Benjamin,|he's up to something.
Can you give me a tight shot|on the operations display? I think so.
Do you see what I see? Hmm.
Very clever.
Oh, the problem is|it's never going to work.
The Bridge control lockouts.
The security codes are hardwired through|the encryption circuitry.
Will someone please let me|in on this conversation? The Captain's trying|to take control of the ship from Engineering.
Kira is the only one actually|working on the warp drive but it doesn't look like she's in any hurry|to get it done.
I think Worf's trying|to cover their tracks.
It looks like he's sending|false signals to the computer system.
Nog is the key.
He's trying to override|the Bridge control lockout so he can release|the command codes.
If he can do that the Captain can control|the entire ship from the operations console.
Nog's a smart kid,|but it's going to take him weeks to release the codes from here.
Can we do anything to help him? Not from Engineering.
If we could get to the Bridge we could release the codes|from there.
How? Wait a minute.
|One thing at a time.
First, we need to get|out of the Engine Room without getting caught.
Why is the Klingon working on the plasma|displace subsystem? Because I told him to.
That system has nothing to do|with warp drive operation.
Maybe not on Dominion ships,|but I'll need to use the display to monitor|warp plasma stability.
Pardon me.
Seventh, power up|the magneto-impellers and advance the field coils.
Call out every five teslas|until I tell you to stop.
Yes, Major.
Easy does it.
We don't want|to burn out the inducers.
Now what? Now we wait until someone|walks out that door.
Sixth! Yes, Second.
Relieve the Klingon.
Take over the repair|of the display subsystem.
Immediately, Second! Give the Klingon another task.
Why? Because I said so.
Why is the warp drive|not on line yet? He's stalling.
"Stalling"? Your Second is the one|who's slowing down the work.
He countermands my orders arbitrarily reassigns my crew.
I can't get any work|done in here! You were told to watch them,|not to interfere with them.
You're playing|right into his hands.
Don't you see that? Captain Sisko you have 30 minutes|to restore warp power or I will kill her and another of your crew every 15 minutes|until you do.
And you, Second, will no longer|interfere with their work.
Get ready.
When he activates|the door sensor, we'll Nice bit of piloting.
If you liked that you're going to love|what's coming up next.
Any luck, Ensign? Not yet, sir.
The system is always|three steps ahead of me.
Every time I get past|the primary security net the secondary|always kicks me back out and the codes are all reset and I have to start|all over again.
Ah Like that.
Do you have a backup plan|in case this doesn't work? Yes.
|I'll destroy the ship.
There are still a few algorithms|I haven't tried yet.
Thanks.
All right, I'm ready to connect|the deuterium injector.
Go to the plasma relay|and power it up-- but slowly,|just like I showed you.
I'm about ten minutes away|from initiating the prestart sequence|in the warp drive.
How's Nog doing? Not good.
You'll have|to find another problem.
Too fast! Reinitialize the system|and start again but do it at about half|the speed this time.
Well, he's not stupid.
He's already got the entire|command and control system committed to memory.
I can't keep him fooled forever.
In a battle of wits|between you and him I'll bet on you every time.
Hmm.
What kind of odds|are you giving? First? I've realigned|the targeting sensors.
There were errors|in the tracking subroutines.
You were not ordered|to check the targeting sensors.
Well, I thought it|a wise precaution in case we encountered|an enemy ship on our way home.
Your initiative pleases me.
It's a trait|that the Gammas lack.
Well, the Gammas|have many flaws.
When we return from this mission there will be need|for a new Second.
I will recommend you|to the Vorta.
You will not be disappointed.
I'm sure that I won't.
It'll be Alphas like us that determine the|future of this Quadrant.
That will be the|new order of things.
Looks like we need another|ticket into the Bridge.
So how long do we wait|for someone to open the door? We don't.
I cannot access|the auto-destruct system without drawing attention.
Plant a computer virus in the warp plasma|subprocessor.
Set it to cause a core breach|once the ship reaches warp 1.
Understood.
Don't hit it too hard.
It could shatter|the control panel.
Don't worry.
I have a light touch.
Not according to Worf.
What? Well, we certainly can't release|the control lock while the First|has his hand on it.
Can we bypass it? Well, I suppose I could reroute the encryption|subprocessors manually.
But? But I'd have to leave|the ship to do it.
And I have to say, I'm|not fond of the idea.
I can think of a thousand ways a one-centimeter man|could get fried walking around|inside a circuit housing.
Relax, Miles.
You wouldn't be able|to go out there even if you wanted to.
You wouldn't be able to breathe.
The oxygen molecules outside are almost 2,000 times|larger than anything your hemoglobin|could assimilate.
You'd suffocate.
Well.
That takes care of that idea.
Unless-- Circuit housings are airtight.
I could beam a bubble|of compressed air ahead of you, and it would|expand to fill the housing.
Well, it should work.
I mean, the air|would be thin, but, uh you'd be able to breathe|for about 20 minutes.
And then? You'd pass out.
We'd pass out.
You're coming with me.
This might take longer|than I thought.
All right.
If we beamed in|to the primary safeties junction we should see a cluster|of heuristic subprocessors next to a rectilinear|expansion module.
The question is: What does a rectilinear|expansion module look like when you're one centimeter tall? What? I haven't the faintest idea but it's amazing.
It's like we're in the middle|of an optronic forest.
Looks like we need to go Julian, stop! That chip behind you|is carrying 20 microamps of electric current.
Now that's not very much-- But it's enough to fry|every synapse in my tiny body.
Thanks for the tip.
All right, stay right behind me.
And don't touch anything|without asking.
Believe me, I won't.
The white.
It is time.
How's it coming, Chief? We're making progress.
Aren't we, Chief? I'm still trying to locate the security protocol|interlink.
It shouldn't take much longer.
Well, the sooner the better.
Things are getting|a little crowded up here.
We pledge our loyalties|to the Founders-- We're all Alphas here.
Our loyalty is demonstrated|by our actions, not our words.
All right.
Now Miles we're lost, aren't we? Yes, we're lost.
I can draw these circuits|in my sleep.
I've just never seen them|from this perspective.
Disorientation-- it's one of the effects|of hypoxia-- lack of oxygen.
Need to focus on a landmark.
There.
That large isolinear chip-- number 58966 stroke delta.
What is it? Julian, there are|two dozen 66/deltas in the asymmetric|encryption circuits alone.
All right, then what--|what's this here at its base? Well, that's a four-way|interlink shunt.
So that would mean|that this chip is? I don't know! I told you that they|all look the same to me.
All right, don't look at it.
What?! Close your eyes.
Use your memory.
Okay.
There's a four-way|shunt at the base of a 58966 stroke delta|isolinear chip which is where? The only four-way|shunt near a 66/delta is at the base of the master|differential relay.
That's got to be it.
So the interlink we want|has to be? That way.
We've got trouble.
They're cross-checking|the diagnostic protocols.
Has Nog made any progress? Not yet.
It's stuck.
Which one? That one.
No, no, no.
That one.
You sure? Oh Again.
Julian.
Rub-Rubicon m-mission complete.
Oh, I am good.
Come with me.
All of you,|step away from the consoles! Right now! Captain, I did it.
I don't know how, but I|released the command codes.
Well done.
What we need now is a diversion|before they go to warp.
Silence! All the Defiant's|command functions have been transferred|to Engineering but nothing's happening.
Well, maybe the Captain|doesn't realize he has control of the ship yet.
Or maybe he's in trouble.
The First was called|to the Engine Room a few minutes ago.
How long has the warp drive|been repaired? At least one hour|maybe longer.
And they managed|to conceal it from you? You ordered me not|to interfere with them.
I also told you|to watch them carefully.
If we had assigned Jem'Hadar|to do the repair, as I said-- I am not interested|in your excuses.
Bring the warp drive on line.
Wait.
Before we activate|the warp drive we should check|the entire system for possible sabotage.
That would take hours--|every minute we spend in Federation space|exposes us to detection and attack and I would hate|for your last mission to end in failure, Elder.
Do it.
And when you have sufficient engine power|available bring us to warp 4.
At least we're going|to take them with us.
Secure these four|with the other prisoners.
Dax, upper rail.
I've got him.
This guy is really starting|to get on my nerves.
I have torpedo lock.
Fire! I'm flooding|all the compartments except the Engine Room|with anesthezine gas.
Major, get that virus|out of the computer before someone on the Bridge|engages the warp drive.
Aye, sir.
He should have listened|to you and killed me when he had the chance.
He was a First.
They don't need to listen.
Obedience brings victory, and victory is Mr.
Worf, I think|your wife is here.
Captain's Log, supplemental.
After completing repairs we were able to return|to the anomaly and successfully restore|our runabout and its crew to their normal size.
The surviving Jem'Hadar have been transferred|to a Federation P.
O.
W.
camp.
Is that your poem? Yes.
Bloodwine.
Can I hear it? It is not finished yet.
Oh, please?|Just the first line? All right.
But it is my first poem.
I understand.
And I have worked very long|and very hard on this.
I know.
I do not wish to be ridiculed.
I promise.
Very well.
"This is the story of the little ship|that took a little trip.
" What do you think? It's, uh Well, it rhymes.
There's nothing on this padd.
We were just minding|our own business when suddenly,|right there in front of us was this immense Jem'Hadar.
He looked as tall|as a Seltan carnosaur.
We were so close you could see the veins|in his eyeballs throbbing.
We swung around and ducked behind|the operations console.
I knew we had to get|our sensors back on line if we were going|to be of any help to the Captain and the others.
So I said to Julian Is there something wrong? Are you sure you've returned|to your normal size? Of course.
Why? Well, you both appear to be a couple|of centimeters shorter than you were|the last time I saw you.
A changeling notices|that sort of thing.
I didn't want to say anything but you do look a little on the petite side.
Infirmary.
And they say you don't|have a sense of humor.

Previous EpisodeNext Episode