Captain's log, star date 44429.6.
We're on a mapping survey near the Cardassian Sector.
It is nearly a year since a treaty ended the long conflict
between the Federation and Cardassia.
Captain, we are nearing the periphery of Sector 21503.
Look out for a Cardassian ship, Mr. Worf. They should hail us soon.
They're still skittish about protecting their border.
Last time I was here,
I was on the Stargazer, running ahead of a Cardassian warship.
Running, Captain?
- You? That's hard to believe. - Believe it.
I'd been sent to broker a truce.
I'd lowered my shields as a gesture of goodwill.
The Cardassians were not impressed.
They had taken out most of my weapons before I could regroup and run.
The Cardassians have no honour. I do not trust them.
They're our allies now. We have to trust them.
Trust is earned, not given away.
I hope they make contact soon.
It's not good to stay too long on a Cardassian border
without making your intentions known.
What is it?
Kelp buds, plankton loaf and sea berries.
Sweetheart, I'm not a fish.
It's very healthy. I had this when I was growing up.
What? No muffins or oatmeal or corned beef and eggs?
For breakfast?
Keiko, I've been thinking.
You've introduced me to this wonderful food that you're used to,
I'd like to do the same.
Isn't that what marriage is about, sharing?
What kind of foods?
Scalloped potatoes, mutton shanks, oxtails and cabbage.
- Kind of heavy. - You'll love it, I promise.
I remember the aromas when my mother was cooking.
She cooked?
She didn't believe in a replicator. She thought real food was better.
She handled real meat? She touched it and cut it?
Yeah, like a master chef. She was fantastic.
Of course, I'll have to use the replicator.
I'll make something special tonight. You'll love it, I promise.
OK. Maybe I'll have something special for you tonight, too.
Something's wrong.
Red alert. Take emergency stations.
Cardassian ship preparing to fire again.
Increase power to the forward shields.
- Hail them again. - What is he doing? Damage report.
Minor damage to secondary hull before we put up our shields.
No casualties. Structural integrity intact.
Engineering to bridge. Starboard power coupling is down.
Evasive action, delta sequence. Ready phasers.
- Delta evasion plan initiated. - Target engines and shields.
Aye, sir. Ready.
Fire.
Direct hit, sir. Damage to aft shield generators.
Continue phaser fire.
Multiple hits, sir. Power failure in their forward shields.
The Cardassian ship is standing down.
Let's see if they'll answer our hail now.
Frequency open.
This is Capt Picard of the Federation ship Enterprise.
I am Gul Macet of the Cardassian ship Trager.
- Why have you fired on us? - Curious question, Captain.
In war, one attacks one's enemies.
There is a treaty between our peoples.
Perhaps that fact was unknown to the Federation starship
which destroyed our space station in the Cuellar system two days ago.
Federation starship?
Attacked an unarmed science station.
They had barely enough time to send an emergency signal
before they were incinerated.
Gul Macet, the Federation and the Cardassians
have struggled too hard for peace to abandon it so easily.
We are not the ones who have abandoned it, Captain.
Let me talk to my superiors, find out what is behind this.
Give me one hour.
The alternative is for us to continue firing at one another.
And in such a contest, you would be at a disadvantage.
Very well.
One hour.
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.
Captain, we've confirmed your report.
It was the Starship Phoenix, under the command of Benjamin Maxwell.
Ben Maxwell?
But he's one of Starfleet's finest captains.
He must have had provocation.
I wish we knew. He's gone on silent running.
Won't answer our communiqués.
He's still in Cardassian space?
The station he destroyed was in Sector 21505.
You're the nearest starship. We want you to go in and find him.
Will the Cardassians cooperate?
They've granted you safe passage.
You'll take along a delegation of observers to show good faith.
Jean-Luc, I don't have to tell you,
the Federation is not prepared for a new sustained conflict.
You must preserve the peace.
No matter what the cost.
Haden out.
There will be three Cardassians transporting aboard.
Capt Gul Macet and two aides.
My intention is to be open with them,
allow them to share in our search for the Phoenix.
It is necessary to assign them a security detail.
They're guests. I don't want them to feel like prisoners.
I agree with Mr. Worf. They don't need to have the run of the ship.
Allow me to post guards in some of the sensitive areas of the ship.
Very well. Let's limit their access.
But you instruct your people they are our guests.
- Aye, sir. - Counsellor, stay close to the crew.
Some may feel uncomfortable with Cardassians on board.
- I don't want any incidents. - Yes, Captain.
Mr. Data, has anyone else on board served with Capt Benjamin Maxwell?
Accessing.
Chief O'Brien served under him aboard the Rutledge, sir.
Indeed. Number One, will you and the Counsellor meet our guests?
Inform Chief O'Brien I will be calling on him.
Yes, sir.
Welcome to the Enterprise.
I'm First Officer William Riker. Counsellor Deanna Troi.
I am Gul Macet.
My aides, Glinn Daro, Glinn Telle.
This is our transporter chief, Mr. O'Brien.
Shall we?
Captain's log, supplemental.
We have entered Cardassian territory on our quest to locate the Phoenix.
With our sensors we've been scanning a radius of ten light years.
We can effectively scan one sector a day.
We're scanning 21505 now. There's no sign of the Phoenix.
In fact, you have no assurance the ship is still in Sector 21505.
In fact, we have no idea where it is.
We thought the last known coordinates were a good place to start.
Capt Picard, you can understand that we are skeptical.
Do you expect us to believe
that you are using every means at your disposal
to track down one of your own?
Of course you are concerned, Gul Macet.
That is precisely why I have included you in every aspect of our effort.
You're present with my staff.
You're hearing reports as I hear them, nothing edited or withheld.
Very well.
Transporter Chief O'Brien served with Benjamin Maxwell.
I thought he might be able to provide some insights.
Mr. O'Brien, I understand that Capt Maxwell lost his family
during a raid on an outpost.
More like sabotage, sir. It was on Setlik III.
Cardassian militia made a sneak raid on an outpost,
wiped out close to 100 civilians.
Then it's revenge he's after.
- That's not what I meant. - It's retribution for his own loss.
- Capt Maxwell... - Gentlemen.
Let's not indulge in speculation.
Can we confine our discussion to the facts?
- Mr. O'Brien... - Worf to Capt Picard.
- Go ahead. - Sensors have located the Phoenix.
Gul Macet, will you join me on the bridge?
Deck six.
Deck ten.
Your captain is most impressive.
Yes, he is.
Chief O'Brien, our transporting system is still operating
with active feed-pattern buffers.
I would like to talk with you about your technology.
I'll have to get Cmdr La Forge's approval.
I understand.
In the meantime, we are going to your ten-forward.
Will you join us?
If my Commander tells me to discuss the transporter with you, I will.
If Capt Picard orders me to tell you about Ben Maxwell, I will.
But who I choose to spend my free time with,
that's my business.
Captain, the Phoenix is in Sector 21505.
Ensign, set a course, warp six.
Mr. Worf, send a message. Tell them to prepare for a rendezvous.
Yes, Captain.
- Captain, a suggestion. - Yes?
We have a number of ships in Sector 21505.
If you will give us more precise coordinates
and the ship's coded transponder frequency,
we could intercept Maxwell far more quickly than you.
I'm sure that's true. However, given the circumstances,
I would prefer to make the initial contact myself.
You would, if the situation were reversed.
Captain, time is crucial.
You have a dangerous man with a huge arsenal at his command.
If he is intent on revenge against my people,
he must be stopped before he can do more damage.
So far, we have an isolated incident.
If I reach him first, then perhaps diplomacy can prevail.
But if one of your ships should decide to retaliate,
we could lose control of the situation.
You will not give us the means to find his precise location?
No, I won't.
There you are. Potato casserole.
A dish fit for kings.
The minstrel boy to the war has gone
- What's that you're singing? - What? It's just an old song.
A bunch of us used to sing it on the Rutledge.
- I hadn't thought about it in years. - What's it about?
It's about war and glory.
The minstrel boy to the war has gone
In the ranks of death you will find him
His father's sword he hath girded on
And his wild harp slung behind him
Capt Maxwell always liked that song.
All this business about him and the Cardassians brought it back.
You know, sitting with the staff this morning,
I could tell there were people who still don't like the Cardassians.
- I imagine that's to be expected. - You do?
Sure. It was a long war. That takes its toll. What are these dark things?
Capers.
But the fighting's over now.
Why should anyone still feel however they feel?
You fought the Cardassians?
There were some skirmishes, when I was with Capt Maxwell.
Well, how do you feel about them?
Me? I feel fine. I mean, the war's over now.
- The pursuing ship is the Phoenix. - And the other?
- A Cardassian supply ship. - How would you know that?
We are able to make that determination.
You can read our transponder codes.
The important thing now is your ship may be in jeopardy.
- Mr. Worf, any answer to our message? - No, Captain.
Put out a repeating message, priority-one communiqué.
- Break off your pursuit now. - Aye, sir.
We are doing everything we can to reach them.
Yes, and accomplishing nothing, I'm sorry to say.
Can you show me the location of our other ships?
Mr. Data.
There, you see? We have a warship which could intercept the Phoenix,
if you will give us the transponder frequency.
Or are you going to stand there while our ship is destroyed, Captain?
Mr. Worf, has there been any response to our hails?
No, Captain.
Very well.
Mr. Worf,...
..relay the prefix codes of the Phoenix to the Cardassian warship.
Sir, they will be able to dismantle its shields!
The Phoenix won't have a chance!
I cannot allow Maxwell to ambush that supply ship.
Mr. Worf, now.
Yes, Captain.
The Cardassian warship is moving on the Phoenix.
Mr. Data, overlay weapon ranges of the two ships.
The warship is 300,000 kilometres from the Phoenix. It is opening fire.
The Phoenix has taken a direct hit.
The Phoenix has begun evasive manoeuvres.
It has positioned itself outside the range of the opposing ship.
The Phoenix has powered up both phasers and photon torpedoes.
The Phoenix is firing photon torpedoes.
He has destroyed our warship.
Does the supply ship have any weapons?
Very limited.
Not enough to defeat a Nebula-class starship.
Sir, the Phoenix is firing on the...
The warship carried a crew of 600, the supply ship, 50.
Estimate the time to intercept with the Phoenix.
At our present speed of warp four, 16 hours 44 minutes.
Ensign, increase to warp nine.
- Captain. - Chief. I wanted to talk to you.
Anything I can do, sir.
Ben Maxwell, he must be quite a man.
He's a rare one, alright. I count myself lucky, sir.
I've served with the two finest captains in Starfleet.
From your knowledge of the man, what has gone wrong?
There's a reason for what he's doing.
The Cardassians were up to something, I'm sure.
When his family was killed, how did he take it?
I'd say he took it well.
I know he was broken up inside. Who wouldn't be?
But you'd never know it to see him.
He never missed a minute's duty. Always had a smile, a joke.
I see.
He would never retaliate, no matter what that Cardassian says.
They're up to something, sir.
They're the ones you should investigate, not Maxwell.
- You don't care for the Cardassians? - I like them fine.
It's just, well, I know them.
You learn to watch your back when you're around those people.
Ben Maxwell has just sent more than 600 of them to their deaths.
I don't know what to say, sir. But he must have had his reasons.
I think when one has been angry for a long time, one gets used to it.
And it becomes comfortable, like old leather.
And, finally,...
..it becomes so familiar one can't ever remember feeling any other way.
Thank you, Chief.
Kanar.
Mind if I join you?
Do you want another?
And an ale.
Kanar. I never could develop a taste for it.
It takes a bit of getting used to.
I wanted to say, I owe you an apology.
I shouldn't have popped off like that in the turbolift.
- I think... - Here's your ale, Mr. O'Brien.
This has been hard on all of us.
I know I'll be happy when I'm back on my own ship.
I guess that's true. I hadn't thought about that.
I was on Setlik III with Capt Maxwell
the morning after the massacre.
We were too late, of course.
Almost everyone was dead.
That was a terrible mistake.
We were told the outpost was a launching place
for a massive attack against us.
The only people left alive
were in an outlying district of the settlement.
I was sent there with a squad to reinforce them.
Cardassians were advancing on us, moving through the streets,
destroying, killing.
I was with a group of women and children,
when two Cardassian soldiers burst in.
I stunned one of them. The other one jumped me.
We struggled.
One of the women threw me a phaser, and I fired.
The phaser was set at maximum.
The man just,
just incinerated, there before my eyes.
I'd never killed anything before.
When I was a kid, I'd worry about swatting a mosquito.
It's not you I hate, Cardassian.
I hate what I became because of you.
I will protest this, Klingon!
- Lieutenant? - He was found at a computer station,
attempting to access information on our weapon systems.
A lie, Gul Macet. I was studying the terminal interface systems.
They're more efficient than ours. I didn't know what was in the files.
What business did you have going near one of their computers?
But, Gul Macet, I meant nothing. There was no harm done.
Go to your quarters.
You're confined there for the duration of this expedition.
As you wish, sir.
- Mr. Worf, please accompany him. - Gladly, Captain.
Captain, may we speak in private?
You have the bridge, Number One.
I deeply regret what my aide has done, Captain.
You have my word, he will be disciplined upon my return.
You may take what action you wish. I consider the matter closed.
I'm not sure I would be so generous in your place, Captain.
- Thank you. - If there is to be a lasting peace,
neither you nor I must allow any one man to undermine our efforts.
There are those who crave war, who need it.
I am not one of them, Captain.
And I'm beginning to see that neither are you.
We have had our full measure.
The lasting peace begins here, with the two of us.
- Bridge to Captain. - Picard here.
We have located the Phoenix. We will intercept it in 22 minutes.
Captain's log, star date 44431. 7.
We have contacted Capt Maxwell and he has agreed to come on board.
Welcome aboard, sir. I'm Cmdr Riker, First Officer.
I know all about you, Commander. Fine work you did with the Borg.
- We all owe you on that one. - Thank you.
O'Brien? Miles O'Brien?
- Hello, Captain. Good to see you. - How are ya?
I had no idea you were on the Enterprise.
This was my tactical officer on the Rutledge. Best I ever had.
Thank you.
O'Brien has the ability to size up a situation instantly,
then come up with options to fit all contingencies.
- Remarkable. - I learned that from you.
But you got that silver tongue by kissing the Stone.
Commander, best I see your captain straightaway.
- We've got a lot to talk about. - Yes, sir.
Capt Jean-Luc Picard. Capt Benjamin Maxwell.
That'll be all, Commander.
- Captain. - A pleasure, Captain.
Please, sit down.
You must think I've gone mad.
The thought had occurred.
Picard, I have to tell you, I was grateful when I realised
it was you Starfleet had sent after me.
Someone who knows what it's like out here.
I know of nothing out here that could justify what you have done.
Then listen to this.
The Cardassians are arming again.
That so-called science station? Military supply port.
- How do you know this? - Information comes my way.
From whom? Where is your documentation?
I know what they're doing!
I can smell it.
There's no reason for a science station in the Cuellar system,
but it's a hell of a strategic site for a military transport station,
a jumping-off point into three Federation sectors.
They're running supply ships,
and nobody can tell me it's for scientific research.
Whatever the circumstances, why didn't you notify Starfleet?
And wait six months while the bureaucrats read reports,
trying to figure out what to do?
They don't know what's going on out here.
But you should, Picard. You know what it's like to be under fire.
- You weren't under fire. - Lives were at stake.
- Whose lives? - We had to act now!
Why?
It smells musty in here.
Like a bureaucrat's office.
You have killed nearly 700 people and taken us to the brink of war.
I have prevented war.
Or at the very least delayed it a good long time.
The peace treaty was a ruse to give them time to regroup.
Alone, you decided to dispose of the treaty.
I took the initiative. I did what had to be done.
What had to be done? For whom?
Why would a man, with a long and brilliant service,
abandon the principles that he has believed in,
even fought for, all of his life?
I believe it is because of what they did to your wife and your children.
- Not true. - To avenge their deaths.
You're a fool, Picard.
History will look at you and say, "This man was a fool."
I'll accept the judgement of history.
When it becomes clear what the Cardassians have done,
I will be vindicated.
What they have or have not done is irrelevant.
Irrelevant?
Come with me. Find one of their supply ships,
and we'll see how irrelevant it is.
We're not going after any more Cardassian ships.
You're going to return to your bridge...
..and set a course for Star base 211.
The Phoenix and the Enterprise will return to Federation space.
Those are Starfleet's orders.
I will permit you the dignity
of retaining your command during the voyage.
The alternative is to put you in the brig
and to tow your ship back to the star base in disgrace.
- I will return to my ship. - You understand your orders?
Yes, Captain.
Mr. Worf, report to my ready room. My guest is departing.
Aye, sir.
Captain's log, supplemental.
With the Phoenix in close formation, we are proceeding to Star base 211.
Mr. Data, how long until we clear Cardassian space?
At this speed, three hours, 20 minutes.
Mr. Worf, send a message to Admiral Haden.
- Inform him of our time of arrival. - Aye, sir.
Captain, the Phoenix has changed course.
What is he doing?
Ensign, change course to pursue.
Mr. Worf, will you hail Capt Maxwell?
- No response, Captain. - Data, project his new course.
He is headed for a Cardassian vessel, 0.12 light years from here.
He'll attack that ship just as he did the others.
Continue the hail, Mr. Worf. Priority-one message.
- Do you know what that ship is? - I imagine it's a supply ship,
headed for the research station in the Kelrabi system.
- The Phoenix still does not respond. - Ensign, warp eight. Overtake.
The Phoenix has accelerated to warp nine.
We will not be able to reach him before he gets to the vessel.
- Ensign, warp nine. - Aye, sir.
Arm phasers. Continue the hail.
Aye, sir.
Chief O'Brien was Maxwell's tactical officer.
Get him up here.
The Phoenix is out of warp.
- They have reached the vessel. - Slow to impulse.
- Vessels are within visual range. - On screen.
Has the Phoenix activated its weapons?
Negative. Phaser banks are not armed.
The Cardassians?
Sensors are unable to determine the status of their defences.
Their ship is running with a high-powered subspace field.
Mr. O'Brien,
your former commander is placing me in the position of firing on him.
I need your knowledge of the man,
how he thinks, what he's capable of doing.
- Aye, sir. - Sir, Capt Maxwell is hailing us.
On screen.
Alright, Picard. You need proof? You've got it now.
Capt Maxwell, you have disobeyed a direct order.
Board the ship. You'll see that everything I've said is true.
The Cardassian vessel will not be boarded.
You will transport aboard the Enterprise.
Picard, if you don't board that ship, I'll destroy it.
And I will use whatever force is necessary
to prevent you from taking that action, Captain.
Sir, Capt Maxwell,
if he feels his back is against the wall, he'll strike.
The Phoenix is transferring power to its shields.
They're arming phasers and loading torpedo bays.
Red alert. It seems you were right, Mr. O'Brien.
- Ready phasers, load torpedoes. - Phasers armed.
Loading torpedo bays.
Sir, let me beam over.
Try to talk to him. We served together a long time.
When you've been through what we have, you get inside someone.
He might listen.
He'd never allow you to transport on board.
The Phoenix is using a high-energy sensor system.
It cycles every 5.5 minutes.
Between, there's a window of a 50th of a second.
- Trust me, I can get through. - Make it so.
Not now!
- I'm not armed. - How the devil did you get here?
I thought that if we could talk,
we could figure a way out of this mess.
The way out of this is clear.
Talk to Picard. Get him to board the damn ship!
He won't do that, sir.
But he'd turn his weapons on this ship to protect the enemy?
- I don't believe it. - He will!
Count on it.
What the hell has happened to this war?
Sir, there is no war.
The war is over.
You're wrong.
The Cardassians live to make war.
That's what everybody thinks about the enemy.
- That's what they think about us. - We're not the same at all.
We do not start wars!
We do not make surprise attacks on manned outposts!
We do not butcher women and children in their homes!
Children...
..who never had the chance to grow up!
You were with me on Setlik.
- You saw what they did. - Yes, sir.
What was the name of that fella who hung around you like a puppy?
Will Kayden.
- Stompie. - Stompie!
As cool under fire as a mountain lake.
Yes, sir.
He died at Setlik, didn't he?
Yes, sir.
What was that song of his?
The one he always sang, the one I liked?
The minstrel boy to the war has gone
In the ranks of death you will find him
His father's sword he hath girded on
And his wild harp slung behind him
"Land of song!" said the warrior bard
Though all the world betrays thee
One sword at least thy rights shall guard
One faithful harp shall praise thee
I'm not gonna win this one, am l, Chief?
No, sir.
Captain's log, supplemental.
Capt Maxwell has turned his ship over
and transported to the Enterprise.
I have confined him to quarters for the return voyage.
Thank you, Chief.
I'd just like to say, sir, he was a good man.
What he did was terribly wrong, I know that now,
but I'm still proud to have served with him.
Thank you, Chief. And well done. That'll be all.
His loyalty is admirable, even if it is misplaced.
The loyalty you would quickly dismiss does not come easily to my people.
You have much to learn about us.
Benjamin Maxwell earned the loyalty of those who served with him.
You know, in war,
he was twice honoured with the Federation's highest citation
for courage and valour.
And if he could not find a role for himself in peace,
we can pity him, but we shall not dismiss him.
You are welcome to your opinion.
I, for one, am grateful he is under lock and key.
One more thing, Gul Macet.
Maxwell was right.
Those ships were not carrying scientific equipment, were they?
A research station within arm's reach of three Federation sectors?
Cargo ships running with high-energy subspace fields
that jam sensors?
If you believe the transport ship was carrying weapons, Captain,
why didn't you board it as Maxwell requested?
I was here to protect the peace.
A peace I firmly believe is in the interest of both our peoples.
If I had attempted to board that ship,
I'm certain you and I would not be having this pleasant conversation,
and that ships on both sides would now be arming for war.
Captain, I assure you...
Take this message to your leaders, Gul Macet.
We'll be watching.