“Sir. Incoming TikTok from the Romulan vessel.”
PICARD: Recommendations, Number One?
RIKER: Red alert! Evasive maneuvers!
RIKER: Red alert! Evasive maneuvers!
WORF: Evasive maneuvers unsuccessful. The TikTok is now at 12.8 kilometers and trending.
CRUSHER: Sir! The TikTok just… disappeared from short-range sensors!
RIKER: Some sort of cloaking device?
DATA: Sensors have re-acquired the TikTok. It appears to be using a series of fast cuts to evade detection.
RIKER: Some sort of cloaking device?
DATA: Sensors have re-acquired the TikTok. It appears to be using a series of fast cuts to evade detection.
PICARD: Bridge to La Forge. Geordi, any ideas?
LA FORGE: The TikTok’s shields appear to be using an archaic compression mechanism to obfuscate-
PICARD: As quick as you can, Geordi…
LA FORGE: The TikTok’s shields appear to be using an archaic compression mechanism to obfuscate-
PICARD: As quick as you can, Geordi…
DATA: I believe I understand where Geordi is “headed” as it were. Analyzing TikTok shields. Reconfiguring main deflector… Sir, we are now able to communicate with the TikTok.
Picard: On screen!
Picard: On screen!
PICARD: What… what is this?
TROI (to RIKER): Will, you said-
RIKER: Captain, I can explain-
DATA: Curious. I believe this is a reenactment of an early 21st century custom called a-
WORF: The TikTok is probing our shields-
TROI (to RIKER): Will, you said-
RIKER: Captain, I can explain-
DATA: Curious. I believe this is a reenactment of an early 21st century custom called a-
WORF: The TikTok is probing our shields-
PICARD holds up his right hand. Stands up. Tugs his shirt.
PICARD: Mr. Worf, I believe we’ve seen enough. At your leisure.
WORF: Aye, sir.
A volley of PHOTON TORPEDOS race toward the TIKTOK.
PICARD: Mr. Worf, I believe we’ve seen enough. At your leisure.
WORF: Aye, sir.
A volley of PHOTON TORPEDOS race toward the TIKTOK.
The TIKTOK EXPLODES.
PICARD: Excellent shooting, Mr. Worf. Now-
PICARD is interrupted by urgent beeps from the consoles all around the bridge.
DATA: Sensors tracking 128… 256… 32,768 incoming TikToks, Captain.
PICARD: That’s enough. Heading 327, mark 15. Engage!
PICARD: Excellent shooting, Mr. Worf. Now-
PICARD is interrupted by urgent beeps from the consoles all around the bridge.
DATA: Sensors tracking 128… 256… 32,768 incoming TikToks, Captain.
PICARD: That’s enough. Heading 327, mark 15. Engage!
The ENTERPRISE prepares to go to warp, but it STOPS with a LURCH.
PICARD: Report!
WORF: The TikToks are multiplying, sir. There are over 16 million of them now.
DATA: The TikToks have ensnared the Enterprise in a viral attack.
PICARD: Report!
WORF: The TikToks are multiplying, sir. There are over 16 million of them now.
DATA: The TikToks have ensnared the Enterprise in a viral attack.
TROI: Captain, I’m not sensing any malice from the entity onboard the Romulan ship deploying the TikToks. Instead… playfulness?
CAPTAIN: Explain?
TROI: I do not believe these TikToks cause us harm. They sought to provoke, yes, but I feel they merely seek some sort of interaction.
TROI: I do not believe these TikToks cause us harm. They sought to provoke, yes, but I feel they merely seek some sort of interaction.
CRUSHER turns around from the CONN.
CRUSHER: I think I remember these from an ancient Earth history class, captain! These are a challenge! If we respond in kind-
CRUSHER: I think I remember these from an ancient Earth history class, captain! These are a challenge! If we respond in kind-
PICARD: But this doesn’t explain the… transmission we saw on screen. Of Number One and Counsellor Troi.
RIKER: The Romulans must have penetrated our main computer, created a digital doppelgänger from Starfleet personnel recor-
RIKER: The Romulans must have penetrated our main computer, created a digital doppelgänger from Starfleet personnel recor-
DATA: I have cross-referenced the transmission and it is an exact match with one of Commander Riker’s holoprograms, last accessed on stardate-
RIKER: Thank you, Mr. Data-
RIKER: Thank you, Mr. Data-
LA FORGE, who has been listening in the entire time from Engineering: Data, you just might be on to something. If we isolate the motion vectors from Commander Riker and Counsellor Troi in the holoprogram-
RIKER: -the digital doppelgängers created by Romulan agents-
RIKER: -the digital doppelgängers created by Romulan agents-
LA FORGE: - and apply those motion vectors to instructions to our impulse RCS system, we can have the Enterprise respond to the TikTok’s transmission.
PICARD: Make it so.
PICARD turns to RIKER: Number one, do you have anything to add?
RIKER: Um. Geordi? You’ll need to add some noise to the motion vectors. They will respond better if we add some… improvisation.
LA FORGE: I’m sorry commander, you’ve lost me.
PICARD turns to RIKER: Number one, do you have anything to add?
RIKER: Um. Geordi? You’ll need to add some noise to the motion vectors. They will respond better if we add some… improvisation.
LA FORGE: I’m sorry commander, you’ve lost me.
RIKER: Computer, grant time-limited read access to program Riker-Jazzistics-Zeta-Three to Geordi La Forge. Geordi, extract the motion vectors from this holoprogram and layer them on-
LA FORGE: —to the original program, with a random number seed derived from an inverted EPS tap!
LA FORGE: —to the original program, with a random number seed derived from an inverted EPS tap!
LA FORGE: Captain, the motion program is ready. It might be get a little bumpy.
PICARD: Number one, I believe this dance is yours…
RIKER: Computer, shipwide transmission. All hands, brace for… swing.
RIKER SMILES to TROI, then NODS to PICARD-
PICARD: … Engage!
PICARD: Number one, I believe this dance is yours…
RIKER: Computer, shipwide transmission. All hands, brace for… swing.
RIKER SMILES to TROI, then NODS to PICARD-
PICARD: … Engage!
The ENTERPRISE doesn’t lurch, but instead seems to smoothly move in a complex series of fluid movements.
Soon, the TIKTOKS start to react, copying the path of the Enterprise.
PICARD: Mr. Worf, report?
WORF: The TikToks are indeed… reacting… to our engagement.
Soon, the TIKTOKS start to react, copying the path of the Enterprise.
PICARD: Mr. Worf, report?
WORF: The TikToks are indeed… reacting… to our engagement.
• • •
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