4/17/96 STAR TREK FIRST CONTACT FADE IN: EXT. SPACE- STAR FIELD A continuous heartbeat, breathing pattern...sleeping person. MONTAGE Disconnected images in a haze, a first-person perspective--Picard's POV...visions of the interior of a Borg ship and what we will later recognize as an ASSIMILATOR. Views of the battle of Wolf 359 as seen from the Borg ship...and finally, an image of-- THE QUEEN You are...Locutus of Borg. INT. BORG SHIP--WOLF 359 (FLASHBACK) First person perspective as the image of the Queen on the monitor dissolves to close-up of JEAN-LUC PICARD as LOCUTUS. PICARD (LOCUTUS) I am...Locutus...of Borg. INT: ENTERPRISE-E- PICARD'S QUARTERS, --PRESENT DAY Picard wakes up with a start, face glistening with sweat. He leaves his bed for the bathroom in his quarters, turns on the sink faucet (sensor activated) and splashes his face. Close on his face as his fingers linger over the parts which had interfaced with the Borg devices. EXT. SPACE (VFX-I) We get our first, sweeping view of the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-E. INT. ENTERPRISE-E- BRIDGE Close on a set of turbolift doors as they slide open and reveal Picard, now in uniform, as he ENTERS the new Bridge. Picard's POV as he surveys the Bridge, abuzz with activity. RIKER is in the Captain's Chair, N.D.'s at Ops and Conn stations and working in b.g. Upon seeing Picard enter, Riker rises from his seat, but Picard gestures him down. PICARD It's still your watch, Number One. RIKER (knowingly) I haven't been able to sleep lately, either. PICARD What's our status? RIKER (off console) We will be reaching the Neutral Zone in two hours, seventeen minutes. Long range sensors aren't turning up much activity on the other side, but we won't know for some time if the Romulans are up to something. PICARD (grim) Any news from the fleet? RIKER Deep Space Twelve picked up the Borg on their sensors an hour ago. The fleet is moving in to intercept. They expect to engage the Borg in...six hours. Concerned reactions. EXT. SPACE- DEEP SPACE NINE TITLE: STARFLEET SPACE STATION DEEP SPACE NINE, BAJOR SECTOR INT. DEEP SPACE NINE- CAPTAIN SISKO'S OFFICE INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN (VFX-I) CAPTAIN SISKO and LT. CMDR. WORF are on either side of Sisko's desk, watching intently as a computer display shows two sets of multiple blips--the Starfleet defense forces and the Borg armada--gradually approach each other. The display is replaced by ADMIRAL BUCKINGHAM's image. BUCKINGHAM (continuing)...your orders are to take the Defiant to Earth. There you will be part of the second line of defense...in case the Borg manage to break through Captain Shelby's fleet. Captain Sisko will remain on Deep Space Nine, in case the Dominion decides to take advantage of the Federation's weakened perimeter. SISKO How about the Klingons...and the Romulans? BUCKINGHAM We've dispatched the Venture to the Klingon border, and the Enterprise to the Romulan Neutral Zone. WORF (concerned) The Enterprise...it is not part of the defense fleet? SISKO It can serve the Federation best by keeping an eye on the Romulans. The Romulans have been monitoring the Borg fleet as long as we have, and they will not pass up the opportunity to mount their own incursion into Federation territory while most of our forces are engaging the Borg. WORF But the Enterprise and its crew have had the most experience dealing with the Borg. Captain Picard-- SISKO (interrupting) --WAS one of the Borg. BUCKINGHAM (nods) We have reason to believe that Picard still has a subconscious link to the Borg collective. He may be a liability to our defense. WORF But...have you considered the possibility that he may prove to be an asset? SISKO They can't take that risk. Picard himself knows that. BUCKINGHAM The Enterprise has its orders, Commander. And you have yours. Starfleet out. Buckingham's image vanishes, replaced by the Federation symbol. Sisko turns to Worf. SISKO The Defiant is yours, Commander. (a beat) Good luck. WORF Those who rely on luck...never win the battle. Worf EXITS, as Sisko looks on after him. INT: ENTERPRISE-E- ENGINEERING Data walks into Engineering, and scans the room past the N.D.'s busy in the b.g., until LA FORGE (OS) Data! Angle on GEORDI LA FORGE as he descends the ladder from the upper level of Engineering. He is no longer wearing his VISOR, but his eyes now contain artificial implants that duplicate his VISOR's functions. LA FORGE Data! Am I glad to see you! DATA And I am GLAD...to see you, Geordi. La Forge smiles, aware of the significance of Data's statement...and Data, in another significant moment, returns the smile and grasps La Forge affably by the shoulder. LA FORGE The emotion chip...it's functioning as it should? DATA Within parameters. The two walk back toward the Chief Engineer's nook, where La Forge works on a terminal. DATA (continuing) If anything, I am sure that my exploration of these emotions will be an ongoing process, with no termination anticipated in the forseeable future. Commander Maddox, however, did make a modification on the chip during my stay at the Daystrom Institute. He installed a failsafe mechanism, in the event that my emotions run beyond my control. LA FORGE That's quite an advantage over us humans...we don't get the luxury of an emotional circuit-breaker. DATA Which is precisely why I do not intend to ever use it. LA FORGE (a beat) I've been looking to make some modifications on the coolant conduits for the upper-- A communications page. PICARD'S VOICE Commander Data...please report to bridge. Data taps his commbadge. DATA Aye, sir. INT. BRIDGE Data ENTERS, and relieves the Ops officer at his post. RIKER, PICARD, and DEANNA TROI are at their respective stations. TACTICAL OFFICER The Romulan fleet has crossed the Neutral Zone. PICARD Red alert! The bridge goes to Red Alert status...klaxons, lights. RIKER We're detecting twelve scout ships...and forty-seven Warbirds. (a beat) They aren't even cloaked. They've gone into warp. TROI Should we intercept? RIKER It could be a diversion...another fleet could be waiting to cross the Neutral Zone. PICARD I'm aware of that, Number One. Where are they headed? Earth? DATA Sir...they are on an intercept course with the Borg Armada. PICARD (to Tactical) Transmit a priority one message to Captain Shelby...notify her of the Romulan force. (a beat) Now are they there to help us...or the Borg? TROI The Romulans know that the Borg pose a greater threat to them than the Federation does. PICARD Let's hope so. Ship-to-ship communications page. TACTICAL OFFICER Incoming message from Captain Shelby, sir. PICARD Onscreen. INT. INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN (VFX-I) CAPTAIN SHELBY appears on the viewscreen; her bridge is already on red alert; the sound of phaser fire and torpedoes in the background. SHELBY Enterprise...do you read? We have engaged the Borg. Repeat, we have engaged the Borg. Reactions. RIKER They weren't supposed to run into each other for hours! PICARD We read you, Yorktown. SHELBY It appears that the Borg used some unknown technology to misrepresent their true location. TROI (sotto) Smoke and mirrors. RIKER A subspace version of the Picard maneuver. Picard gives him a knowing glance. SHELBY They caught us by surprise, but we recovered quickly. We have lost the Exeter and the Lincoln. The Klingon Empire has offered assistance. (a beat) We have decided to accept their offer. PICARD What about the Romulans? SHELBY We're monitoring their movements...and the Borg haven't been very friendly to them. Whether or not they're on our side, they are drawing away some of the fire from the outer flanks. RIKER (not meant for Shelby) I hate being a mere spectator to this. SHELBY (overhearing) Commander...we gave you our reasons for having you out of the way. Maintain your current patrol. Shelby out. At the last moment, the Yorktown's bridge is shaken by a blast. In an instant the Enterprise's viewscreen returns to a starscape. ANOTHER ANGLE Picard turns to Riker and Troi. PICARD I'll be monitoring the battle from my ready room. Keep a close eye on the Neutral Zone, Number One, you have the conn. Picard EXITS to his ready room. Reaction shots of the crew. RIKER Stand down from red alert. Resume course. INT. PICARD'S READY ROOM Picard is at his desk, engrossed by the display terminal in front of him. INT. INCLUDE DISPLAY TERMINAL (VFX-I) Picard's face is reflected in the terminal, which is displaying a 3-D representation of the ongoing battle...blips moving back and forth...the Federation and Klingon fleet are slowing down the Borg's advance considerably, but it is still evident that the Borg are gaining ground. We move closer to Picard's reflection until... EXT. SPACE- THE BATTLE (VFX-P) The images are hazy and filtered, with alien display readouts--like Picard's dream sequence, only clearer and more coherent. Although there are multiple angles and views--like changing channels-- they are all as seen from the POV of a Borg ship. There are three "cube" ships, and several smaller "boxes." Forty to fifty Starfleet and Klingon vessels of different classes exchange fire with the Borg forces. A Federation starship (Intrepid-class) closes in on a "box" and destroys it with a volley of phasers/phaser cannons and torpedoes. A cube ship holds a starship and a Klingon cruiser with tractor beams and proceeds to slice them apart with cutting beams. Fade back into: INT. PICARD'S READY ROOM- INCLUDE DISPLAY (VFX-I) Picard is no longer looking into his viewscreen--he is staring blankly ahead, in a trance. Fade back into: EXT. SPACE- THE BATTLE (VFX-P) "Changing channels" between different Borg ship views, we see that the three cube ships are now in an equilateral triangle formation, the plane of the triangle perpendicular to their direction of travel...it is now apparent that they are clearing a passageway through the defense forces. Out of the center of the triangle, a Borg ship appears--tetrahedral in shape. It is half the size of the cubes, but still dwarfs the defending starships. Several Starfleet and Klingon ships pursue it, but each one is destroyed by weapons fire from the tetragon--it is significantly more powerful than the cubes. INT. PICARD'S READY ROOM- INCLUDE DISPLAY (VFX-I) The screen shows a representation of what has just happened. Picard snaps out of his trance, clearly agitated and disturbed--emerging from a waking nightmare. He presses the comm panel on his desk. PICARD All senior staff to the observation lounge. INT. THE OBSERVATION LOUNGE Riker, La Forge, Troi, Data, and BEVERLY CRUSHER are in their seats. The captain's chair is still vacant. The mood is serious. Picard appears in the doorway, still on edge from his experience. Troi becomes aware of this as Picard walks to his seat. PICARD Part of the Borg fleet has just penetrated Starfleet's defense. RIKER How many ships? PICARD One. And it's on a direct course for Earth. It will cross the Federation border in a matter of minutes. The Federation's second wave of defense is being assembled above Earth as we speak. LA FORGE Wouldn't they need us there now? RIKER Our orders haven't changed. How large is the second fleet? DATA Twenty Defiant- and Bastille-class starships, sir. Picard looks grim. PICARD (a beat) I'm sure you all know the real reason why we're out here, and not part of the Federation defense. Starfleet fears that with my experience of being assimilated by the Borg, I still have a subconscious connection to the Borg collective. In the past years, I had seen no evidence of this...until recently. As I have told Counselor Troi...I have been experiencing nightmares, visions--all dealing with the Borg. We felt it was our duty to inform Starfleet Command. RIKER So when the Borg showed up on deep space sensor arrays, we were conveniently assigned elsewhere. PICARD That's right, Number One. And just now, I've discovered...that Starfleet's fears are warranted. The others look on in anticipation and concern. Picard gets up, and walks behind his seat. PICARD (rising agitation) I was aware of everything, EVERYTHING that transpired in the battle. I was aware of their movements, their reactions...I felt the damage taken by their forces. This one Borg ship that has broken through...(a beat) This was all planned. Maybe not the original scenario they had anticipated, but a contingency in the event the Federation defense proved to be more difficult than they had hoped. TROI You don't believe that the second wave will be enough to stop the Borg. PICARD I don't know, Counselor. But the Borg HAVE to be stopped, and this may mean we must leave our patrol--and disobey orders--to join the defense. I wanted all of you to be aware of that. RIKER Whatever decision you make, Captain...you have my full support. DATA Likewise, sir. The others nod in agreement. PICARD Very well. I'll inform you of my decision shortly. Dismissed. All EXIT the observation lounge except for CRUSHER and PICARD. Crusher rises from her seat. CRUSHER If you're aware of what the Borg are doing...you can pinpoint their weaknesses, anticipate their actions. You could be instrumental in Earth's defense. PICARD We've seen it work the other way as well. Who's to say that I won't be conveying information to the Borg in the same manner? CRUSHER They merely used a tactic you knew about seven years ago, when you became Locutus, when the Borg assimilated your knowledge. You are not Locutus...you *are* Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and you have a duty to defend the Federation...to the best of your capacity. Picard lets this sink in. INT. BRIDGE Riker, Troi, and Data are at their respective posts. Helm is manned by LT. HAWKS, a young officer still "wet behind the ears." Tactical and the other stations are manned as well. Picard ENTERS, and pauses in front of his seat. All eyes are on him, and all ears hanging on his word. PICARD Lieutenant Hawks...set course for Earth. Maximum warp. Riker throws him a look of determination and approval. PICARD Red alert. All hands to battle stations. (anticipatory pause) Engage. EXT. SPACE- ENTERPRISE-E (VFX-P) The Enterprise flies by as the engines rev up and the ship snaps into warp. EXT. SPACE- ABOVE EARTH (VFX-P) Earth drifts into view. A set of specks in the terminator approach and turn out to be the second wave of defense flying in formation...smaller in number, and in size, than Shelby's fleet. Though they vary slightly in configuration, the ships are reminiscent of the U.S.S. Defiant. INT. BRIDGE- U.S.S. MERRIMAC A redress of the Defiant Bridge. The ship is on red alert. N.D.'s at their posts. The CAPTAIN taps his comm panel. MERRIMAC CAPTAIN The Borg ship is in short-range sensors, Commander Worf. WORF (filtered) Acknowledged. MERRIMAC CAPTAIN Merrimac to all ships...open fire as soon as they are in weapons range. Load torpedo bays. Engage shield frequency auto-rotation. MERRIMAC TACTICAL The Borg are in range, sir. MERRIMAC CAPTAIN Lock on target and FIRE! EXT. SPACE- THE BORG SHIP The Borg ship approaches the Merrimac and the fleet head-on. A volley of phaser cannon fire and torpedoes strike the ship's shields, but its forward momentum is unchecked...soon, the portion of the shields taking the most fire weakens, and the ship takes some visible, but minor damage. Finally, the Borg retaliate with their own weapons. INT. MERRIMAC BRIDGE The ship is hit...sparks and smoke. Crewmen are injured. MERRIMAC CAPTAIN (loud and firm) Maintain formation! Keep firing! INT. DEFIANT BRIDGE Oddly calm and quiet, though still on red alert. Close on Worf in the captain's chair, the look of grim determination on his face. INT. DEFIANT BRIDGE-ANOTHER ANGLE - INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN (VFX-I) We see that the Defiant is tailgating the Borg ship on the opposite side, protected from friendly fire by the Borg ship itself. DEFIANT TACTICAL The Borg are diverting power to their forward shields. Close on Worf. WORF On my mark...disengage cloak, raise shields...and open fire. DEFIANT CONN The Merrimac is gone, sir. The other ships are maintaining formation. DEFIANT TACTICAL The Borg's aft shields are offline. WORF NOW!!! EXT. SPACE- THE BORG SHIP (VFX-P) The Defiant decloaks behind the Borg tetrahedron and fires phaser cannons and quantum torpedoes point blank into its rear. The Borg breaks off its course, and the Defiant is in pursuit, engaging its cloaking device. The remaining fleet is close behind...several starships, however, remain above Earth, wrecked or crippled, debris floating about. The Borg return fire, and the fleet breaks formation. Unexpectedly, the Borg fires its weapons off to one side...where the Defiant, hit, subsequently decloaks. INT. DEFIANT BRIDGE Is shaken continuously by blasts. DEFIANT TACTICAL They managed to detect us through our cloak! Starboard shields are down...we're-- The tactical console explodes, killing the tactical officer. Other consoles and crewmen follow. WORF Conn! Do we still have propulsion? DEFIANT CONN Impulse and thrusters only, sir. WORF Set a collision course for the Borg. Ramming speed. DEFIANT CONN (resigned to his fate). Aye, sir. EXT. SPACE The Defiant turns toward the Borg ship, and travels on a collision course, until a tractor beam lashes out to the Defiant and holds it in place. The Borg cutting beam activates. INT. DEFIANT BRIDGE- INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN (VFX-I) Utter chaos. Worf leaps out of his seat to face the viewscreen, which offers a direct view of the Borg cutting beam snaking out to the Defiant. At the last possible moment, the entire Defiant crew is beamed out of sight, as we see the actual cutting beam slice into the bridge, depressurizing it and sending debris into space. INT. ENTERPRISE-E BRIDGE Data turns to Captain Picard. DATA The crew of the Defiant is on board. PICARD (nods) Shields up! Open fire! EXT. SPACE- THE ENTERPRISE-E Flies a swift arc around the Borg tetrahedron, weapons blazing. INT. ENTEPRISE-E BRIDGE PICARD Target their Omicron-section power node and launch a full volley of quantum torpedoes. The Tactical officer looks puzzled. Riker raises an eyebrow. RIKER "Power node"? Picard is befuddled...they don't know what he's talking about. Picard rises from his seat. INT. INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN (VFX-I) A view of the Borg tetrahedron. Picard walks up to the viewscreen and points to an area that is undamaged by Worf's rear attack. PICARD There. There! The other power nodes are damaged, and We are relying almost exclusively on this one...(he drifts off, realizing what he just said) Riker throws a glance at Troi, who returns a meaningful look. Riker looks to the perplexed tactical officer. RIKER You heard the captain. Lock on and fire. The tactical officer complies. EXT. SPACE A focused volley of weapons from the Enterprise strikes at the point Picard specifies. The Borg ship holds quietly still for a moment...then disintegrates in a fireworks display. Debris deflects off the Enterprise shields. INT. BRIDGE Riker leans back in satisfaction. Picard remains standing in front of the viewscreen, his eyes shut...he feels the "death" of the Borg. The tactical officer breaks the silence. TACTICAL OFFICER The other ships hailing us, sir. They want to know how you did it. Picard regains his composure. PICARD Put them on a conference channel on screen-- The bridge is gently--but noticeably--rocked. PICARD What was that? DATA An object in the wreckage is generating a subspace energy field of unknown nature. Reading unusually high levels of chronitons and verteron particles as well.. RIKER Can you isolate the source? DATA A spheroid craft in the center of the debris, approximately 400 meters in diameter. INT. INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN The viewscreen displays a silver-and-black sphere, nearly completely smooth, generating what appears to be a distortion of the space around it. INT. ANOTHER ANGLE DATA (off console) It appears to be opening a rift in the space-time continuum. It is entering the rift. It is-- HAWKS Captain! Picard looks to conn. HAWKS The fleet has disappeared! I'm not receiving any readings... Shocked reactions. HAWKS Wait--Captain, there are several large craft leaving Earth orbit on an intercept course. PICARD Onscreen! INT. INCLUDE VIEWSCREEN A view of Earth. About a dozen noticeable specks in the foreground. PICARD Magnify. The specks enlarge...they are a fleet of Borg cubes. Earth in the background shows some large black-and-gray patches that we didn't see in previous close-ups. RIKER What the hell---? DATA Captain...there are no signs of Federation activity on Earth...but I am reading vast structures and complexes on the planet consistent with Borg technology. PICARD Can you speculate on what's happened? DATA Stellar data indicates that we have not traveled to another time...rather, we are now in a different timeline...one which was created by the Borg sphere entering the space-time rift. RIKER In which the Borg managed to conquer the Federation. They went to the past. DATA As we are in the rift's region of influence, we were spared the changes in the timeline. HAWKS Borg forces will be in weapons range in twenty seconds, sir. The bridge rocks...more violently than before. DATA (urgently) Captain...the rift is collapsing. PICARD It appears we have no alternative. Increase power to the structural integrity field and head for the rift--full impulse. EXT. SPACE (VFX-I) The Enterprise changes course and heads toward the debris just as a Borg cube opens fire and tries to engage a tractor beam; the Borg weapons glance off the shields. ANOTHER ANGLE The Enterprise flies through the rift, which is barely large enough for the ship to fit through; the Borg cube in pursuit also hits the rift, but of course, it is much too big for the passage. ANOTHER ANGLE The cube detonates...debris follows the Enterprise. The explosion apparently seals the rift.