"Time's Arrow" Line-by-Line

LaForge: Okay. Data? This ought to do it.

(does something to his positronic net)

LaForge: I don't get it. I don't understand why isn't this working. Computer, run me a diagnostic on the input polarisers.

 

COMPUTER: There is intermittent contact in the input polarizers.

 

LaForge: Intermittent?

(Geordi opens the back of Data's head)

LaForge: What? An iron filing. How'd that get in there?

 

[Back in the cavern in the 1890s, Picard finds Data's head on the ground, he picks it up and opens the hatch in the back of it. He picks up a loose iron filling and begins doing something to the inside of Data's head.]

[Enterprise Bridge]

WORF: Commander, I have set the photons to fire in staggered rounds, detonating in ten second intervals.

 

Riker: Very well. Fire when ready.

 

WORF: The sequence will be ready to initiate in one minute.

 

[Science lab]

LaForge: Computer, run another diagnostic on the input polarisers.

 

[With Geordi's work, Data's internal circuitry flashes to life]

COMPUTER: Polarizer circuits are functioning.

 

LaForge: Well, then, that ought to do it. Okay, Data. Come on, now.

 

[Geordi clicks a switch in the small of Data's back, he spasms back to life, grasping the supports of the work station.]

DATA: Torpedoes.... Phasing.... Alien. [Data taps the panel in the back of his head] I am processing a binary message entered into my static memory by Captain Picard. Geordi, are we planning to fire on the alien habitat?

 

LaForge: Yeah, but

 

DATA: It is imperative that we do not. I will explain later.

 

LaForge: La Forge to Riker. Hold your fire!

 

[Bridge]

DATA: The binary message left by the Captain is not entirely clear. He seemed to be concerned about the phase differential of our photon torpedoes. That firing them might produce catastrophic effects.

 

Crusher: Then how do we destroy their habitat?

 

DATA: If I am correct, we must modify our weapons so that the force of the explosion is re-phased into the aliens' time continuum.

 

LAFORGE: If we outfit the photons with phase discriminators we could get the variance we need.

 

RIKER: How long will it take you?

 

LAFORGE: At least a couple of hours.

 

RIKER: Fine. I'll have time to go get him.