Picard walks resolutely from his Ready Room onto the bridge and up to the Engineering station.
“Mister Georley,” Picard says quietly. Georley turns from the console. “Yes, Captain?”
“Will you accompany me to Sickbay?” Picard asks.
Georley’s eyes widen.
1/14
“I think—sir—that everyone should know what you’re about to do,” Georley announces to the bridge. Worf, Data, and the other bridge crew look back at him.
Georley approaches Worf. “Worf—my safety is being threatened. As Chief of Security, are you going to let—”
2/14
Georley pauses, noticing the immovable Klingon resolve in Worf’s eyes.
“No, you—wouldn’t disobey the Captain, would you?” Georley says. He then moves down the bridge to Data.
“You, Data! My—uh, I-I mean Geordi’s best friend,” Georley desperately says.
3/14
“Are you going to let this happen?” Georley asks.
“I admit that I find my ethical program in conflict with—my desire to resume my friendship with Geordi,” Data states.
Georley pounds his chest. “I—am Geordi! And more!”
“I do not require more,” Data says.
4/14
Georley whips around to Troi. “Counselor, surely you can—can sense my terror, my—desperation to live!”
Troi’s eyes well. Her brow and lips twist with heartbreak. “Yes—I can.”
“Then how can you—?” Georley asks before being cut off by Riker.
“That’s enough!”
5/14
Georley turns round and round the bridge, searching the eyes of the crew. Picard glares on from the back turbolift with a calm detachment.
“I-I’m just a kid!” Georley cries. “Will you—murder a child?”
Troi folds into Riker’s chest.
“Mister—Georley,” Picard commands.
6/14
Georley’s mouth hangs open, then closes stiffly. He joins Picard in the turbolift.
“To seek out new life,” Georley says.
The turbolift door shuts.
7/14
Georley and Picard enter Sickbay. Beverly and Ogawa stand by the center biobed.
“Doctor,” Picard says.
“Mom!” Georley shouts. “You won’t let him—”
Beverly grips the cushion of the biobed to steady herself as tears well in her eyes. “My—son’s—name—is Wesley.”
8/14
“But—Jean-Luc,” Beverly says. “I—cannot—do this.”
Picard searches her eyes. “Very well, Doctor.” He extends his hand to her. “Beverly.”
She cautiously presses a hypospray into his palm. His other hand rubs her arm firmly. He nods. She nods, her lip quivers.
9/14
Picard turns to Georley. “Mister Georley, please sit down.”
He motions for a biobed. Georley, staring at Beverly, walks over and sits atop the biobed. He then looks away from Beverly. Alyssa curls her arm around Beverly’s back.
10/14
Picard locks eyes with Georley and presses the hypospray into his neck.
“She must have her child back,” Picard whispers to him.
Picard turns and approaches the medical console. He inputs commands. Georley dissolves within a beam and Wesley and Geordi appear.
11/14
“Mom?” Wesley calls, confused.
“Oh, Wesley!” Beverly says, embracing him in a tight hug.
Alyssa begins scanning Geordi with a tricorder.
“Captain?” Geordi asks. “The last thing I remember is—beaming back from—”
“Mister La Forge,” Picard says.
12/14
“We have been tested time and again on our voyages through the—unknown, but,” Picard says. “Not like this. I—am a man who has always believed that I would never trade one life for another—while in command of a starship.”
He approaches the doors. “If you’ll excuse me—”
13/14
“I must—consider just who—” Picard pauses. He pulls a smile upon his face. “It’s good to have you both back.”
He leaves promptly. The others watch in silence as the doors slide shut.
14/14
“That’s an interesting question,” Michael replies.
Janeway notices her stiffening face and the dryness of her voice. “I can tell you that the question itself is an answer, isn’t it?”
A thin grin pulls apart Michael’s lips. “It is—actually.”
1/14
“I suppose I should attempt an answer first,” Janeway says.
Michael nods.
“So, my father—well, first you must imagine this—figure—the figure of immense gravitas and—authority,” Janeway says. “He was nothing less than—the incarnation of Starfleet service.”
2/14
“Ahhh, I know exactly what you mean,” Michael says. “Sarek was always—the immaculate Vulcan—at least that was his goal.”
“Oh, yes, you had the pleasure of being raised by two fathers,” Janeway says. “I’m interested in how they both shaped your command.”
3/14
“Yeah—I did,” Reno says. “And it was fucking grueling to engineer my friends like some—cannibalized, engine parts.”
“But—again—you got to do something to save them,” Shaw says. 1/8
“You didn’t have to see hopelessness in their eyes as you crouched into the escape pod,” Shaw says.
“You tough enough for some straight talk, Captain Dirge?” Reno asks.
Shaw shrugs.
Reno leans forward. “Your friends died—frozen debris forever floating at Wolf 359.” 2/8
“A bit—cold,” Shaw says.
“Literally, my man,” Reno says. “You couldn’t save their asses. But who the hell do you think you are? You took that seat when one of them could’ve. You gonna wallow in the hopelessness of that horrific moment forever?” 3/8