Where Silence Has Lease

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Star Trek: TNG episode
"Where Silence Has Lease"
Nagilum, the entity from 'Where Silence Has Lease'.
Episode no.	28
Prod. code	128
Airdate	November 28, 1988
Writer(s)	Jack B. Sowards
Director	Winrich Kolbe
Guest star(s)	Diana Muldaur, Earl Boen, Charles Douglass, Colm Meaney
Year	2365
Stardate	42193.6
Episode chronology
Previous	"The Child"
Next	"Elementary, Dear Data"

"Where Silence Has Lease" is the second episode of the second season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is episode #28, production #128, written by Jack B. Sowards and directed by Winrich Kolbe

Overview: The Enterprise becomes enveloped by a void in space where the crew are tested by a powerful alien presence.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

On stardate 42193.6, the USS Enterprise is on a charting mission in the Morgana Sector. On a holodeck, Commander Riker joins in on one of Lieutenant Worf's "calisthenics programs", a recreation of some hostile world where the two are attacked by random alien creatures. Riker finds the simulation very violent and asks Worf if all his workout programs are like this. Worf admits the others are more intense, but too "personal" for him to share.

On the bridge, Captain Picard oversees the charting mission as Lt. Commander Data and Ensign Crusher conduct the scans. Soon Wesley picks up something unusual; an area of pure blackness. A dark form appears, visually blocking out the stars behind it. Data states there is no detectable mass and no energy readings of any kind. A void of absolute nothingness. Picard wonders if it is a wormhole, but the phenomena shares no qualities of what they have come to understand about them.

Picard orders a probe to be launched. It enters the void and quickly disappears. Worf becomes alarmed, suggesting shields and firing torpedoes. Picard questions why. Worf describes an old Klingon legend about a space creature that "devours entire vessels". Riker finds it funny, "A ship eating monster?" His words embarrass Worf who knows it was a foolish idea. Picard takes the Enterprise closer and orders a second probe launch, this time one with enhanced capabilities. The second probe enters and like the first, it vanishes.

Suddenly, the blackness quickly expands and consumes the Enterprise. Picard demands a status report, but aside being inside the nothing, all systems are working perfectly. Outside the ship is pure blackness, no stars and the only light comes from Enterprise itself. Picard decides to hold position and collect whatever information they can, but Data indicates that the sensors can detect nothing.

A series of scans discover no detail at any magnification. Data indicates that the void has absolutely no dimension and therefore it shouldn't exist, yet being "in it" defies that conclusion. Riker wonders if they slipped into another dimension, while Data ponders if a lack of dimension itself, could be another dimension.

Picard thinks it's time to get on with their mission. He orders Wesley to reverse course, Warp two. The Enterprise turns about and warp engines engage, but it quickly seems like the ship is going nowhere. No end is in sight. Picard calls Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge and asks if the engines are working. La Forge confirms. Picard orders increase to Warp four. Riker states they didn't come very far, they should have left by now. Wesley indicates they have travelled seven parsecs, but since there is nothing to indicate a positional fix, he cannot be certain.

Data suggests dropping a stationary beacon and using the signal as a positional reference. Picard has him drop the beacon. At warp, the signal rapidly fades behind the ship, but soon Data picks up another beacon dead ahead. The signal is identified as the original beacon. They seem to be running in circles. Perplexed, Picard orders dead stop.

Suddenly, sensors detect something approaching. Worf detects a Romulan Warbird, decloaking! Picard orders Red Alert and arming of weapons as the Romulan ship appears and fires a volley of torpedoes that wrack the Enterprise. Picard orders return fire, the weapons quickly vaporize the enemy. It seemed too easy. Data indicates that he detects no debris from the Romulan ship.

Again, sensors detect another ship, this time Worf confirms a Federation vessel, "NCC-1305-E", the USS Yamato, their sister ship which should be nowhere near this sector. Picard has Worf hail them, but there is no response. Sensors detect no life aboard although all systems appear functional. Picard wonders if they are receiving false sensor readings, but nothing indicates a malfunction.

Riker suggests he beam over to the Yamato, perhaps an answer lies there. Picard allows it and Worf goes with him. Chief O'Brien sends them to the aft section of the bridge, but when they arrive, Riker finds himself alone in a dark corridor. He hears Worf shouting as if in pain and runs to find him. He runs into Worf who claims he heard Riker screaming. Worf suggests they get to the bridge. The two walk to a turbolift as Riker makes a scan. The reading indicates that the ship is made of unknown material. This can't be the real Yamato.

At the bridge, the two step out, but when they look back to the lift, it is gone and a second bridge can be seen through the door, a mirror of the first. The two are baffled. Worf proceeds to the second lift and when the door opens a third bridge appears. "Three bridges?" Riker isn't sure asking if he steps through the door, where will he be? They decide to enter the separate bridges and finding themselves appearing together again on one bridge but at opposite sides.

Back on the Enterprise, Picard calls Riker for a report, but communications are choppy. He orders O'Brien to beam them back but he has trouble locking onto them. Data then reports a star fix. On the viewer an opening forms showing normal space beyond. It's an opportunity to leave, but Picard will not leave the away team behind. He orders a tractor beam placed on the Yamato but the beam fails to activate. The opening closes and Picard decides to let it go.

Next the Yamato begins to disappear. Alarmed, Picard tells O'Brien to get the away team back immediately. Unsure of a clear signal, O'Brien locks onto their fading life signs and manages to get them back just as the Yamato vanishes. Riker storms onto the bridge; "What the hell is going on?" A hole in space? A ghost ship? What's the purpose?

Again, another opening forms and stars appear. Picard orders a course toward it, Warp two. But quickly, the void closes. Another opening appears in a different area. Picard orders course change again, Warp six! Yet again the portal closes. Annoyed, Picard orders full stop. Again another opening, but Picard holds position.

Picard asks Counselor Troi if she senses anything. She admits at first she felt nothing, but now, on a higher conscious level, she detects intelligence and great curiosity. She can only assume someone or something is testing them. Picard asks if she thinks this is some kind of laboratory. It all makes sense to Pulaski, its been like cheese in a rat's maze. Troi suggests they don't respond to the stimuli, and not satisfy its curiosity. Picard agrees, he ignores the opening saying he is done playing games.

A moment later a huge visage appears, filling up the screen shocking everyone. A voice booms forth; "Why are you so alarmed when I've gone to such trouble to look just like you?". Picard steps forward introducing himself and identifying the purpose of their mission. The being says his name is Nagilum. Picard politely asks what it wants.

Nagilum ignores Picard and focuses on Data, mentioning his "construction" is unlike the others. Nagilum then looks at Troi and Pulaski noting their "construction" also differs. Pulaski is confused but Data suggests Nagilum is referring to their gender. Pulaski states she and Troi are female, the others are male. It's how their species propagates. Nagilum asks for a "demonstration" of this, but Pulaski thinks that's unlikely.

Picard tells Nagilum that whoever he is, his actions are not welcome. Nagilum tells them that they are curious beings, with a "limited existence". "You exist, then cease to exist. Your minds call it death." Suddenly, the bridge crew watch in horror as a random crewman screams with severe pain and collapses in a fetal-position on the floor. Pulaski and Worf rush to help him. Nagilum watches; "interesting". Pulaski confirms the crewman is dead and Picard shouts in dismay; "We cannot allow you to do that! We will fight you!".

Nagilum interrupts. "To understand death, I must amass information on every aspect of it, every kind of dying. The experiments shouldn't take more than a third of your crew, maybe half." Everyone is terrified as Nagilum's visage disappears.

Uncertain what will happen next, Picard calls a staff meeting. Troi mentions that it is clear that their lives are unimportant to this Nagilum. Worf suggests that in battle, 50% casualties is an acceptable loss, but Riker reminds him this isn't a battle. So far no one else seems to have been harmed and Picard wonders if Nagilum would really carry out the threat. Whatever happens they shouldn't stand by idly and allow it. There is only one decision. After dismissing the crew Picard orders auto-destruct. He'll destroy the Enterprise before he allows Nagilum to harm anyone else. Riker concurs and they decide on a 20-minute countdown.

Picard goes to his ready room and listens to Eric Satie's "Gymnopédie". Soon his door chimes and Data solemnly enters, later followed by Troi. Troi mentions that destroying themselves won't change Nagilum's mind, she's certain of that. Data simply asks "What is death?" Picard says it isn't easy to answer. Everyone has their own ideas and beliefs about it, some thinking it's an abrupt end, their knowledge and experiences they've gained will become lost forever, while others think they move on to a higher existence where more knowledge awaits.

Data asks what the Captain believes. Picard admits that given the complexity of the universe, he believes everything has a purpose and whatever happens goes beyond measurement and the current understanding of reality. Data thinks that they should not destroy themselves. Troi states that it's a decision Picard should not make himself. She wishes to take her chances as not being one of the subjects Nagilum picks to kill. Data concurs saying it is wrong for them to die.

Picard becomes suspicious. He knows his people better; none of them would talk like this. He asks the computer for the location of Data. The computer says he's on the bridge. Obviously they are all dopplegangers. He rises and shouts; "It's not going to work, Nagilum!" The dopplegangers fade instantly. Riker calls him stating that the void has disappeared. They are back in normal space. Picard enters the bridge and orders Data to set course to anywhere, warp six!

With seconds remaining on the countdown, Riker suggests canceling auto-destruct, but Picard is hesitant. It could be another trick. Data confirms the anomaly is gone and they are on course in normal space. The seconds near zero and Picard tells the computer to cancel countdown. It asks if Riker concurs. Riker shouts ecstatically, "Yes! Absolutely! I do indeed concur! Wholeheartedly!" The sequence stops, and Picard notes a simple "yes" would have sufficed.

Picard returns to his ready room. He thinks aloud hoping Nagilum learned what he wanted. Nagilum's visage appears on the desk screen. Nagilum say he learned more than he needed quoting, "You seem to find no tranquility in anything. You struggle against the inevitable. You thrive on conflict. You are selfish, yet you value loyalty. You are rash, quick to judge, slow to change. It's amazing you've survived. As species we have no common ground. You are too aggressive. Too hostile. Too militant."

Picard doesn't disagree with any one point but says they have "curiosity" in common. Nagilum himself has been evaluated. Nagilum agrees that it's a trait they share. Perhaps they will meet again. Picard wonders the same, but hopes it is here among the stars, with no illusions. Nagilum fades off screen. Picard returns to the bridge and tells Wesley to put them back on their original course, but this time, give any "holes" a wide berth.

Spoilers end here.

[edit] Trivia

Riker calls Chief Miles O'Brien "lieutenant".
The name Nagilum is (almost) a reverse of the name Mulligan, the actor who was to originally speak Nagilum's voice.
This is the first of two appearances of the USS Yamato, sister ship of the Enterprise. In this episode, the ship's registry number is given as NCC-1305-E. However, in a later appearance, the Yamato's number is changed to NCC-71807. The Star Trek Encyclopedia states that NCC-71807 is the "correct" registry number.
The monster that Worf mentions may have been a creature like the bio-plasmic organism in the Star Trek: Voyager episode Bliss.