PICARD: Time, Mister Data?
DATA: We will arrive within transporter range in three minutes twenty one seconds.
MCDOWELL: (at tactical) I've finally established audio contact with the Romulan ship.
ROMULAN [OC]: (heavy static) Main power failing. No way to stop the overload.
PICARD: Enterprise to Romulan vessel. We are en route to your position.
ROMULAN [OC]: Enterprise, what is your time of arrival? We are facing an imminent core breach.
PICARD: Repeat your last transmission.
MCDOWELL: I'm sorry, Captain. They've stopped transmitting.
PICARD: Picard to Riker.

[Transporter room]

RIKER: Riker here.
PICARD: Transport to the Romulan ship as soon as we're within range.
(La Forge and Ro are on the transporter pads)
RIKER: Aye, sir. No weapons. We don't want them to think they're under attack.
RO: This is not a bright idea.
RIKER: I beg your pardon, Ensign. I didn't quite catch that.
RO: Nothing, sir.
(Worf and Riker join them)

[Romulan Engineering]

(it is a scene of death, devastation, fires and controlled chaos)
VOICES [OC]: All main thrusters are shut down. Your information is unreliable. The AH is inoperative. Give me a hand here.
(the team beam in)
RIKER: We're from the Federation Starship Enterprise. We received your distress call.
MIROK: The Enterprise?
RIKER: That's right. Your message said you'd suffered a failure in your engine core.
MIROK: Yes. We had a forced chamber explosion in the resonator coil.
LAFORGE: It's a pretty strange set up, but it looks like the graviton field generator has been completely depolarised. There's no way to fix it. It'll have to be replaced.
RIKER: Where are your replicators?
VAREL: (a woman) They are offline.
RIKER: Who's in charge here?
MIROK: The Captain is dead. I'm the science officer. Mirok.
RIKER: We'd like to move the generator back to the Enterprise for replication.
MIROK: All right.
RIKER: Geordi, you and Ro.
LAFORGE: La Forge to Brossmer. Two people and one piece of equipment to beam aboard.

[Transporter room]

BROSSMER: Aye, sir.
(She activates the controls and things fizzle)
BROSSMER: What the hell? Engineering, I need more power to the primary energising coil. Brossmer to Commander Riker. I'm losing them I have to abort.

[Romulan Engineering]

BROSSMER [OC]: They should be returning to your coordinates, sir.
RIKER: Chief, do you have them? They're not here.
BROSSMER [OC]: No, sir.
RIKER: Where are they?

[Transporter room]

BROSSMER: I can't locate their patterns.

[Romulan Engineering]

BROSSMER [OC]: We've lost them, sir.

[Bridge]

BROSSMER [OC]: I've done all I can, sir. I'm afraid they're gone.
PICARD: Mister Data, begin a level one diagnostic. All transporter systems offline until further notice. Could they have materialised somewhere else?
DATA: Negative, Captain. Sensors are unable to locate them anywhere within transporter range.
PICARD: Counsellor?
(Troi shakes her head)
RIKER [OC]: Riker to Enterprise.
PICARD: Go ahead, Number One.

[Romulan Engineering]

RIKER: Captain, we're still looking at a core breach unless we can fashion a new graviton generator.

[Bridge]

RIKER [OC]: I need replacement personnel, sir.
PICARD: Mister Data, you may continue the diagnostic of the transporter systems at another time. Take a shuttlecraft and two more engineers down to the Romulan ship.
DATA: Aye, sir.
PICARD: Mister McDowell, alert the main shuttlebay to have all available ships and pilots standing by in case we need them.
MCDOWELL: Aye, sir.
PICARD: Ensign, lay in a course away from the Romulan vessel. Engage at warp one if you detect any sign it's going to explode.

[Romulan Engineering]

MIROK: Pressure in the containment chamber has increased fifteen melakols in the last two minutes.
RIKER: What can we do to stop the overload?
MIROK: Most of the conduits were damaged during the explosion. I can't even access the central computer.
WORF: Commander. Emergency bulkheads have sealed this section off from the rest of the ship. There is no way to gain access to the main Bridge or control centres.
RIKER: Survivors?
WORF: Readings indicate at least seventy three Romulans are still alive.
VAREL: Seventy three.
(an alarm sounds)
MIROK: The pressure has jumped two hundred melakols!
VAREL: I've lost control of the containment chamber.
MIROK: It's going to implode.
RIKER: We'll need to dump the entire engine core. Do you have an auto-eject system?
MIROK: Yes, but it's not functioning. I'll have to do it manually.
RIKER: Mister Worf, you two seal the chamber.
VAREL: Implosion will occur in one minute five seconds.
RIKER: Enterprise, we need to jettison the entire engine core. You'll need to extend the shields once it clears the hull.
PICARD [OC]: Understood, Number One. We'll stand by for your signal.
(Worf and Varel have got to the manual latches and undone them)
WORF: We must get the doors closed.
(but Worf can't move the debris jamming them open)
WORF: Commander!
RIKER: Time?
VAREL: Thirty seconds.
(the three men finally shift the girder and start to pull the doors shut)
MIROK: I'm ready, Commander.
RIKER: Stay there! Eject the chamber on my order!
DATA: Excuse me, sir.
(Data takes over and pulls the doors shut)
MIROK: Implosion in five seconds)
RIKER: Now.
(everything shakes as the core is ejected)
RIKER: Enterprise, extend shields!
(KaBOOM)
RIKER: Well, we're still here.
MIROK: Yes.

[Bridge]

RIKER [OC]: We'll have a complete power survey done within the hour. We'll probably have to supply them with energy for life support, and they'll need a new engine core to get home.
PICARD: Understood, Commander. Keep us informed of your efforts. Picard out. I'll be in Sickbay.
MCDOWELL: Aye, sir.

[Corridor]

(Picard walks past Ro lying on the floor. She wakes up)
RO: Ensign Ro to the Bridge. This is Ensign Ro reporting in. I'm at section twenty three baker, near Sickbay. (she wobbles) Sickbay.

[Sickbay]

(the door doesn't open for her, but she gets in when a man walks out)
RO: Excuse me, I need some help. Excuse me? Excuse me, I need some help.
(but everyone ignores her)
RO: Excuse me! I need some help!

[Crusher's office]

CRUSHER: We shouldn't make any hasty decisions, Jean-Luc. The transporter could've beamed them somewhere else. The Romulan ship, another deck of the Enterprise.
PICARD: We've already checked those possibilities. The initial findings would seen to indicate that there was a radiation surge from the Romulan engine core which disrupted the signal. They never rematerialised.
CRUSHER: We should check again. There might be something that we've overlooked and
PICARD: Beverly, we've done everything that we can.
CRUSHER: You're right. I just hate making out death certificates. Does Ensign Ro have any family?
RO: Captain, I'm right here.
PICARD: None that I know of, but I'll check with the Bajoran liaison Office.
RO: I'm not dead!
CRUSHER: I'll have the official reports ready within the hour.
RO: Captain, I don't know what's going on
(Picard walks straight through Ro and out of the office)
RO: Doctor. Doctor Crusher. Doctor Crusher, I'm right here. Damn it.
(Ro's fist goes straight through the desk, so she tests it out on a desk console. Then she looks at what Beverly is doing, updating her personnel file to current status - deceased)

[Romulan Engineering]

MIROK: We're ready, Commander.
RIKER: Riker to Enterprise. Begin power transfer.
(a beam comes from the Enterprise and the light come back on)
MIROK: The power flow is consistent at four hundred kolems. No fluctuations in frequency. The main power grid is online.
PICARD [OC]: Picard to Riker.
RIKER: Riker here. Power transfer appears stable at this end, Captain.
PICARD [OC]: Good.

[Bridge]

PICARD: What is the status of the engine replacement?
RIKER [OC]: Engineering is modifying one of our subspace resonators to act as a new engine core. It won't do more than warp two, but it'll get them home.
PICARD: Very well.
DATA: Captain. The diagnostic of the transporter system shows an anomalous energy fluctuation. I will need to inspect the imaging scanner in transporter room three.
PICARD: By all means.
DATA: Captain? I have a personal favour to ask. I considered Commander La Forge to be my best friend. I believe it is my responsibility to plan and conduct the memorial service. May I have your permission to do so?
PICARD: Permission granted. Make whatever arrangements you think are appropriate.
DATA: Thank you, sir.

[Romulan Engineering]

(a Romulan confers with Guy Vardeman as Worf enters)
WORF: Commander, the (looks round) the Romulans want a computer. We cannot give them access to Federation technology. That is an unacceptable security risk.
RIKER: What about a computer core from thirty or forty years ago? One the Romulans are already familiar with.
WORF: That would be satisfactory.
RIKER: Check with the Enterprise, see what's available. Be sure your concern are addressed before we install it.
WORF: Aye, sir. Thank you.

[Engineering]

(Geordi is failing to attract anyone's attention)
RO: La Forge?
LAFORGE: Ro. Boy, am I glad to see you. And I'm really glad that you can see me. It's like I'm here, but I'm not here.
RO: No one can see me either.
LAFORGE: I can't figure it out. One minute we were transporting from the Romulan vessel, and the next I wake up in the arboretum with a splitting headache. Can you pass through things like bulkheads?
RO: Tables, people, yeah.
(they touch hands)
LAFORGE: Well, we're solid enough to each other.
RO: It's not what you expected, is it.
LAFORGE: What do you mean?
RO: This. Death.
LAFORGE: What?
RO: We're dead, Geordi.
LAFORGE: Is that some kind of a joke?
RO: Our patterns were lost in a transporter malfunction. We never rematerialised after leaving the Romulan ship.
LAFORGE: Wait a minute. What are you saying, that we're some sort of spirits?
RO: Spirits, souls. My people used to call them borhyas. Whatever term you want to use, we're it.
LAFORGE: But my uniform, my visor. Are you saying I'm some blind ghost with clothes?
RO: I don't have all the answers. I've never been dead before.
LAFORGE: We are not dead.
RO: According to Doctor Crusher, we died in a transporter malfunction at fourteen thirty hours. Geordi, I saw her make out the death certificates. We need to make peace with our former lives. That's what I was taught. We have to say goodbye to the people who were in our lives.
LAFORGE: No. You may be ready for the afterlife, but I'm not.
RO: I don't see that we have much of a choice. When I was growing up, I never gave much thought to all the talk about borhyas. I figured that it was just superstition passed on to children.
LAFORGE: Fine. You go make peace with yourself, all right? I'm going to transporter room three. I'm going to figure a way out of this situation.

[Transporter room]

BROSSMER: I didn't have any warning that something would go wrong, sir. Suddenly their patterns just weren't there.
DATA: I believe the cause of the accident may be related to the explosion on the Romulan ship.
LAFORGE: Really?
BROSSMER: But that happened before we even arrived.
DATA: In all likelihood, the explosion damaged the Romulan cloaking device, causing it to discharge chroniton particles. I am detecting a chroniton field in here.
LAFORGE: A chroniton field?
BROSSMER: If the particles were produced on the Romulan ship, why are you detecting them here?
LAFORGE: The transporter beam.
DATA: I suspect they travelled through the transporter beam. That may have been the cause of Geordi and Ro's death. I will go to the Romulan ship. Perhaps I can discover the source of the emissions.
BROSSMER: Commander, are these chronitons dangerous?
DATA: They pose no danger to humans. However, some of the ship's systems may be affected by prolonged exposure. When I return I will devise a method to eradicate them.
LAFORGE: La Forge to Ensign Ro. (then realises the comm. system doesn't work for them)

[Bridge]

(Ro follows a crewman out of the turbolift)
RO: Thanks for the ride. I'm here to say goodbye.
(she gently touches her helm console, then Riker and Picard enter)
RIKER: There are a lot of what appear to be experimental engine components lying around over there. I'd say they were testing a new warp drive design and it blew up in their faces.

[Ready room]

PICARD: That would explain why they're so far away from Romulan space. To avoid being picked up on Federation long range scans.
RIKER: We should have an engine core ready for them by nineteen hundred hours.
PICARD: Commander, there'll be a memorial service at twenty three hundred hours this evening. Mister Data is making arrangements.
RIKER: I'll be there.
RO: Me, too.
RIKER: In fact I might like to say a few words.
PICARD: You did know La Forge longer than any of us.
RIKER: Actually, I was thinking more about Ensign Ro.
RO: Me?
PICARD: When you're ready, coordinate with Mister Data.
RO: Wait a minute. What are you going to say about me?
(Riker leaves)
RO: Captain. I don't believe this. I'm dead. you can't even hear me and I'm still intimidated by you. I just wanted to say thank you. For trusting in me when no one else would.
LAFORGE: Hey, there you are. Excuse me, Captain. Listen, Data's taking the next shuttle over to the Romulan vessel and we need to be on it.
RO: Why?
LAFORGE: because I think what happened to us, the answers are over there.
RO: Why can't you just accept the fact
LAFORGE: Look, if you're right then we're dead and this doesn't make any difference. But if I'm right, then we're still alive and I'm going to need your help.

[Shuttlecraft]

DATA: Lieutenant, I am planning a memorial service for Commander La Forge and Ensign Ro. I would like you to participate.
WORF: What kind of service?
DATA: Captain Picard asked me to arrange a ceremony that was appropriate. I have given a great deal of thought as to what is appropriate in this instance.
WORF: Sir, shuttlecraft four has not yet cleared the Romulan ship.
DATA: Hold position here.
LAFORGE: This is weird, listening to them plan our funeral.
DATA: I find I am having difficulty deciding what kind of service to have. Do you have any suggestions?
WORF: Human custom is to conduct a solemn, dignified service in which the dead are praised by their friends and loved ones.
DATA: Ensign Ro was Bajoran. Her beliefs should be reflected as well. However their death rituals are quite complicated.
RO: Please, not the Death Chant.
WORF: The Bajoran Death Chant is over two hours long.
DATA: I am not certain that either human or Bajoran rites are fitting, and I have researched the funerary customs of over five thousand cultures to no avail.
WORF: Shuttlecraft four has just cleared.
DATA: Resume course. In almost all societies, it is traditional to say a ritual farewell to those you call friends. I never knew what a friend was until I met Geordi. He spoke to me as though I were human. He treated me no differently from anyone else. He accepted me for what I am. And that, I have learned, is friendship. But I do not know how to say goodbye.
RO: He seems almost human, doesn't he.
WORF: Commander, I am not the proper person to advise you.
DATA: Why?
WORF: I am very happy for Commander La Forge. He has crossed over to that which is beyond. For a Klingon, this is a joyful time. A friend has died in the line of duty and he has earned a place among the honoured dead. It is not a time to mourn.
DATA: Begin docking procedure.
LAFORGE: Data, that's a nice sentiment, but a little premature. I don't plan on being commemorated before my time.

[Romulan Engineering]

(Geordi sticks his head inside a piece of equipment)
MIROK: I'm afraid I fail to see the point of this investigation, Commander.
DATA: Chroniton emissions may have been responsible for the accident which claimed the lives of our officers.
VAREL: A most regrettable event, of course.
DATA: Was your cloaking device damaged in the explosion?
MIROK: All of our systems were damaged, including the cloaking device.
DATA: That explains the chroniton fields I am detecting in here now. For your own safety, it is important to eliminate those emissions.
VAREL: Our safety?
DATA: There is no way to predict what will happen when the chronitons interact with the new engine core.
LAFORGE: I've never seen anything like this. There's something in here that looks like a molecular phase inverter.
RO: What's that?
LAFORGE: It's supposed to change the structure of matter so it can pass through normal matter and energy. Hang on a second. A few years back, we got intelligence reports that the Klingons were working on trying to combine a phase inverter and a cloaking device. In theory, they believed that a phased ship could hide anywhere, even inside a planet, and that conventional weapons would be useless against it.
RO: How far did they get in their research?
LAFORGE: It never got out of the preliminary stages. There were several accidents. The Romulans might be pursuing the same technology, trying to combine an inverter and a cloaking device. And if this is the prototype
RO: Then that would explain the explosion and the chroniton fields.
LAFORGE: And us.
RO: You mean we're cloaked?
LAFORGE: Not just cloaked, phased. Our entire molecular structure altered so that we don't have any substance.
RO: Then that would mean we're not dead.
LAFORGE: Yes. It would also mean that there's probably a way to de-phase us.
DATA: The field emissions are particularly strong in this area.
(the equipment Geordi was examining)
MIROK: You can be assured that the emissions will be eliminated before the engine core is replaced.
WORF: Commander, may I speak with you?
(Data moves away)
VAREL: If they come back they're going to discover the interphase generator.
MIROK: Is their power transfer beam still at full intensity?
VAREL: Yes. It will be until we're ready to switch to internal power.
MIROK: We will set up a muon feedback wave inside the transfer beam. The particles will accumulate in their dilithium chamber. When they go to warp speed, their engines will explode.
LAFORGE: We've got to get to the Enterprise and warn them.
RO: How?
LAFORGE: I don't know, but we have to find a way. Come on.
(A Romulan who had been sitting in a chair gets up, walks through a console and follows them. He gets to the Enterprise on a shuttle, too)

[Engineering]

RO: The muon feedback wave's not showing up on any of the engine displays.
LAFORGE: The Romulans must be hiding it in a sensor return signal. Unless someone runs a level three diagnostic, they'd never detect it. There must be a way to warn them before the ship goes to warp.
DATA: This is puzzling. Three more chroniton fields have formed aboard the Enterprise in the last hour.
LAFORGE: There's no reason why the interphase device would be producing new fields aboard this ship.
DATA: We should begin decontamination immediately. Run an internal sensor sweep for locations of all chroniton fields on the Enterprise.
BROSSMER: Aye, sir. The following areas are showing contamination. Sickbay, Transporter room three, main Bridge, Captain's Ready room, shuttlebay two, and main Engineering.
LAFORGE: Ro, look at this.
DATA: I do not understand how these new fields have formed. No transporter beam has been active in any of those areas. I cannot see that they have anything in common.
LAFORGE: Oh, yes they do.
DATA: In fact, they seem to be appearing at random.
LAFORGE: No, they're not. We were in every one of those locations. Somehow we're leaving chroniton footprints behind us.
DATA: Can you narrow the focus of the scan to pinpoint the locations?
BROSSMER: Not with the internal sensors, Commander.
DATA: Go to science station two on the main Bridge. Use a lateral sensor array to get a more precise reading. I will modify an anyon emitter to eliminate the fields once they've been isolated.
LAFORGE: Why don't you go with her and see what the lateral sensors turn up. I'll stay here with Data.
RO: Right.
(Data is scanning with a tricorder, then spraying)
LAFORGE: Well that's interesting. You're reading chroniton readings in here, but not from me? There's a field in this wall? Why? Data, I came through this wall. I walked right through it when I came in here. When the phased matter in my body passed through the wall, it must've disrupted the wall's molecular structure producing a chroniton field. Data, I'm right here that's me you're reading. Watch.
(Geordi walks through the 'pool table' and Data detects the field)
LAFORGE: Come on, it's me. You see?

[Bridge]

(Ro follows Brossmer onto the Bridge, and discovers the Romulan)
PAREM: Do not move. Yes, I can see you.
RO: Who are you?
PAREM: Where is the scientific officer? The one like us. The one who came with you to our ship. He spoke of a plan to return to normal. Yes, this disruptor works. I was wearing it when I was changed. Now, where is he?

[Engineering]

(Geordi is persisting in putting new fields in the pool table)
LAFORGE: Data, stop being so rational. Try using your imagination once in a while. These aren't just random patterns, it's me!
(Data catches Geordi's hand with his spray)
LAFORGE: Hey, watch where you point that thing. Wait a minute, Data, I think you did something here . It's not so easy to push through any more. The molecules in my hand must have been partially de-phased by the anyon beam. Data, if a low level beam can bring my hand part of the way back, maybe a high level beam can bring me all of the way back. I'll just have to get you to turn up the beam intensity so that. Hey, wait a minute, don't stop now. No, no, no. Data, don't give up on it. It works, I was just creating more fields. Your method is fine. You just need to turn up the intensity, Data.

[Corridor]

(The Romulan has Ro at gunpoint)
RO: He's in here.

[Transporter room]

(Ro walks through the door first and dodges to the side. She attacks the Romulan and knocks him down. Then she runs, and the disrupter beam just misses her)

[Engineering]

BROSSMER [OC]: Brossmer to Commander Data.
DATA: Data here.
BROSSMER [OC]: I've just detected a large chroniton field on deck seventeen. The field strength is three hundred percent above the others we've found, sir.
LAFORGE: Is that Ro?
DATA: Acknowledged.

[Crew quarters]

(Ro and Parem run through the quarters of a woman in a state of undress, as Data tracks their progress on his tricorder. Then through a crewman doing press-ups and into a room where a man and woman are having a romantic dinner. Parem shoots Ro in the leg. Data is outside the door.)
PAREM: Get up. Where is the science officer?
(the doorbell rings, and the distraction enables Ro to turn the tables on Parem. They fight.)
MAN: I'll go. Commander?
DATA: Excuse me for interrupting, Lieutenant.
LAFORGE: Ro!
DATA: I'm detecting a chroniton field in your room. May I scan the area?
(meanwhile, Geordi has piled into the fight and knocked Parem out through the hull into space, where even an out of phase Romulan cannot survive)
MAN: Certainly.
RO: Thanks.
LAFORGE: Any time.

[Bridge]

LAFORGE: There's still no indication that the Romulans set up a muon wave in our dilithium chamber.
RO: It's there, and when they go to warp
MCDOWELL: Incoming message from the Romulan ship, Captain.
PICARD: On screen.
LAFORGE: Now what?
MIROK [on viewscreen]: Installation of the new engine core has been completed. We are ready to switch to internal power, Enterprise.
PICARD: Understood. Disconnect the power-transfer beam.
MIROK [on viewscreen]: We are now on internal power. Captain Picard, please accept my sincere thanks on behalf the Romulan Empire.
RO: Don't listen to him, Captain.
PICARD: It was our pleasure, Mirok. And I hope that this example of cooperation between our two peoples will not be an isolated incident.
MIROK [on viewscreen]: As do I, Captain.
(transmission ends)
PICARD: Set a course for the Garadius system. Warp six.
LAFORGE: No, Captain wait.
RO: Don't do it, sir.
BROSSMER: Captain. I'm still running the decontamination programme. Mister Data believes we shouldn't engage the warp drive until I've cleared all the chroniton fields from the ship.
PICARD: Very well. Let me know when you finished your sweep.
BROSSMER: Yes, sir.
RO: If we can get to the locations that she's decontaminating, maybe the anyon emissions would re-phase us enough for someone to see us.
LAFORGE: Yeah, well the beam strength would have to be pretty strong in order for us to be visible for more than a millisecond. Somebody's going to have to be looking directly at us.
RO: Then we're going to have to go somewhere with an awful lot of people.
(Riker enters)
RIKER: It's time, sir. We should go.
PICARD: You have the Bridge, Mister McDowell. I'll be at the service in Ten Forward.
LAFORGE: Ten Forward? Well, that's perfect. We'll create as many chroniton fields in there as we can. Get them to flood that room with a stronger beam.

[Turbolift]

PICARD: Deck ten. I've been thinking about the first time I met Geordi La Forge. He was a young officer assigned to pilot me on an inspection tour, and I made some off hand remark about the shuttle's engine efficiency not being what it should. And the next morning I found that he'd stayed up all night refitting the fusion initiators. Well, I knew then that I wanted him with me on my next command. Have you decided what you're going to say about Ensign Ro?
RIKER: Yes, I have. It wasn't easy.
PICARD: Situations like these are never easy, Number One. RO: Why? What wasn't easy? What?

[Ten Forward]

(a party is in full swing, complete with jazz band, balloons)
RO: What is going on here?
LAFORGE: It's our memorial service.
RO: This?
LAFORGE: Why not?
RO: I don't believe this. They think we're dead and they're having a party.
LAFORGE: Yeah. It's perfect. Come on, let's get started.
(Ro fires the disrupter at random targets around the room)
PICARD: Well, this is unusual.
RIKER: Yeah, I think I like it.
(Riker picks up the trombone and joins in)
RO: Now I suppose I'll never know what you were going to say about me.
(and she fires the disrupter through his head)
DATA: Do you think the others will think this service appropriate?
CRUSHER: Look around you, Data. Everybody is sharing their memories of Geordi and Ro, laughing and talking. What could be more appropriate than that?
DATA: I am glad you approve, Doctor.
BROSSMER [OC]: Brossmer to Commander Data.
DATA: Go ahead, Chief.
BROSSMER [OC]: I'm sorry to disturb you, sir. We've cleared the critical areas of chronitons but we've detected a new field forming in Ten Forward that's stronger than any we've seen before.

[Bridge]

BROSSMER: Should I wait until after the service is over before beginning decontamination?
DATA [OC]: No.

[Ten Forward]

DATA: No. Anyon emissions are harmless. Please begin immediately.
BROSSMER [OC]: Aye, sir.
LAFORGE: Here we go.
(they brace themselves, and sparkle briefly)
LAFORGE: Worf! Worf, can you see us?
RO: Lieutenant!
LAFORGE: We're right here, Worf. Damn.
RO: We have to find a way to increase the emission strength.
LAFORGE: Yeah, I know.
PICARD: if she hadn't lost her rank as a result of that incident at Garon Four, I think she would've made Lieutenant Commander by now.
MCDOWELL [OC]: Bridge to Captain Picard.
PICARD: Go ahead.
MCDOWELL [OC]: Incoming message from Garadius Four, sir. The diplomatic situation is deteriorating. They want an update on our ETA.
PICARD: Stand by, Ensign.
LAFORGE: We've got to do something now, before they go into warp.
RO: The disruptor. I can put it on overload.
LAFORGE: Do it.
RO: Let's go!
(Ro and Geordi hide at the back of the room behind furniture)
PICARD: I would like to get under way as soon as possible. The situation on Garadius Four is becoming serious.
DATA: I see no reason to delay our departure. The chroniton fields have been cleared from all critical areas.
(out of phase KaBOOM that they do not notice)
PICARD: Excellent. Mister McDowell, will you set course for Garadius Four and engage at
BROSSMER [OC]: Commander Data, chroniton field strength in Ten Forward has just increased by three thousand percent.
DATA: Curious. Captain, I believe we should decontaminate this room before getting underway.
PICARD: Very well.
DATA: Chief.
BROSSMER [OC]: Yes, Commander.
DATA: Increase anyon emissions to six thousand particles per second and decontaminate this area.
LAFORGE: Okay, hang on.
(Ro and Geordi are right next to Picard and Data when they sparkle and are faintly visible)
LAFORGE: Data, can you see us?
RO: Captain, we're right here.
LAFORGE: We're right here! We're right here!
(and fade away again)
PICARD: Did you see that, Mister Data?
DATA: Yes, sir.
LAFORGE: Come on, Data. Put it all together now.
PICARD: These were not ghosts. what did we see?
DATA: I believe I may know what has happened, sir.
LAFORGE: Data, please be right.
DATA: It would explain the mysterious chroniton fields
RO: Yes, yes, yes.
DATA: If they were cloaked in some way.
PICARD: Are you saying that they're still alive?
DATA: If I am right, sir, they are, and in this room. Their brief appearance coincided with the anyon sweep. Perhaps the anyons neutralise the cloaking effect. Chief Brossmer.
BROSSMER [OC]: Yes, Commander?
DATA: Set the anoynic beam to its highest level and flood Ten Forward.
BROSSMER [OC]: Aye, sir.
(Geordi and Ro fall to the floor under the effects, but now everyone can see them. The party grinds to a halt)
LAFORGE: Data, do you see us?
DATA: Of course.
LAFORGE: La Forge to Engineering. Take the warp engines off line until further notice. There's a muon wave build up in the dilithium chamber.
ENSIGN [OC]: Captain, who gave that order?
PICARD: That was Commander Geordi La Forge, Ensign. Please follow his instructions.
ENSIGN [OC]: Aye, sir.
LAFORGE: It looks like a great party. Do you mind if we join you?
DATA: Geordi, it is good to see you.
LAFORGE: Thanks, Data. I've never been to a better funeral.
(later, the party is over and Ro and Geordi are alone. Geordi is eating)
LAFORGE: Could you pass the rolls?
RO: You've been eating for over an hour.
LAFORGE: Come on. We didn't eat for almost two days. I'm hungry. What's wrong?
RO: Nothing.
LAFORGE: Come on.
RO: I was raised with Bajoran beliefs. I even followed some of the practices, but I never really believed in a life after death. Then suddenly I was dead and there was another life, and it made me feel like I'd been pretty arrogant to discount everything I'd been taught, you know? Now I don't know what to believe.
LAFORGE: Maybe we should develop our own interphase device. If it can teach Ro Laren humility, it can do anything.