aspects of the ship.
The engineer may represent
the navigation system,
the gunslinger
could be the weapons system.
Could we persuade them to
give us back control of the ship?
I don't think it's possible
to reason with them.
Many of them are genuinely unaware
of what's going on.
This emergent intelligence seems
like an infant acting on impulse,
trying to figure itself out
as it goes.
The only source of experience
it can draw on is ours,
through our holodeck programs.
Could we relate to them
on their own level,
find some way
to influence their behaviour?
Maybe there is.
I'd like to go back and try.
Counsellor, we haven't
re-established the safeties.
The injuries you suffered
on the holodeck weren't severe,
but next time they might kill you.
I'm aware of that.
Very well, Counsellor, go ahead.
But bear in mind,
whenever we have tried to hinder
their efforts, we've failed.
Perhaps it's time
to cooperate with them.
You don't belong on this train.
Three tickets for Vertiform City.
Well, I guess I was wrong
about you folks.
Welcome aboard.
- What was that?
- We've been having some problems.
The engine is running out of steam.
I hope we make it
to Vertiform City on time.
Is there anything
we can do to help?
I could use a pair of strong arms
in the engine room.
Might help us get back on schedule.
Why don't you go with him, Worf?
We'll see what we can do here.
Excuse me.
Are we gonna get there OK?
Of course,
you needn't worry about a thing.
So, tell me everything you know
about Vertiform City.
Well, they got this restaurant there
where you can eat all you want.
It's the best food around.
There's the coal
and there's the boiler.
I'm much obliged for your help.
Well done, sir. I think
this'll make a big difference.
I don't know how or why, sir,
but warp power is back to normal.
What's our heading?
We appear to be on a course for
Tambor Beta VI, a white dwarf star.
Keep it steady.
Put your back into it.
That's the ticket.
The ship is using a tractor beam
to collect vertion particles
from the star.
Vertion particles?
Vertiform City. That's what
the ship was looking for.
The particles are being routed
into cargo bay five.
Geordi, what's going on?
The object
is absorbing vertion particles.
It's growing
even faster than before.
Commander, I'm picking up
internal energy from this thing.
What do you mean?
I mean
it's generating its own energy.
I'm picking up
coherent emissions,
matter conversion. It's incredible.
Wait a minute.
Something's wrong.
We've got power fluctuations.
Vertion absorption rate is dropping.
What's happening
with the particle beam?
The beam's exhausted the particles
from the star. There's nothing left.
Captain, energy output of the object
is decreasing.
Something's wrong.
What is it?
This was supposed to be
Vertiform City.
We've been on
the wrong track all along.
- Are you alright?
- Yes. What happened?
- The conductor derailed the train.
- Data to Capt Picard.
Picard here.
There's been an accident here.
Has anything happened to you?
Yes, we've had a ship-wide shutdown.
Most systems are off line.
Captain, you'd better
take a look at this.
When the particle beam cut off,
the object was beginning
to form a coherent energy matrix.
If these are accurate, the emission
patterns were almost organic.
You're saying the ship
is trying to create a life form?
- I think so.
- Will it survive?
Its energy levels are dropping.
Unless it gets an infusion of vertion
particles soon, I don't think so.
All systems are back on line.
We're moving again, at warp nine.
Let's get back to the bridge.
That was a close one, wasn't it?
- Where are we going now?
- New Vertiform City, of course.
- Data to Captain.
- Picard here.
The train is back to normal. Our
destination is New Vertiform City.
- What's our course?
- The Cordannas system.
- Another white dwarf star.
- It's the nearest one.
Captain, we have a