We'll Always Have Paris
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"We'll Always Have Paris" is a first season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, first broadcast May 2, 1988. It is episode #23, production #124, teleplay written by Deborah Dean Davis and Hannah Louise Shearer, and directed by Robert Becker.
Quick Overview: Picard meets an old flame, whose husband has created a haywire dimensional experiment.
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On stardate 41697.9, the USS Enterprise is on course to Sarona VIII for much needed shore leave. Captain Picard has already begun his recreation in the ship's gymnasium practicing fencing with Lt. Dean. He and Dean spar against each other, however, Dean has the upper hand and lands a few deadly marks against Picard at every turn. Picard admits he's a little out of practice. Suddenly, there seems to be a shift in time, the last few seconds repeat along with a shudder in the ship. Yellow Alert is sounded and Picard calls to the bridge. Commander Data reports the ship has passed through a ripple distortion in time. Picard heads to the bridge still dressed in his fencing outfit. Data is collecting information from the sensors and indicates the time ripple seems to have originated from the distant Pegos Minor system.
Picard tells Lt. Commander La Forge to lay in a course to the system, just as Lt. Worf picks up a distress call. The voice of Dr. Paul Manheim comes over the speakers, begging for help form the nearest starship. The message is automated, and only repeats the urgent need of assistance. The name brings an unsettling feeling to Picard. Deanna senses it. Commander Riker mentions the rumor that Manheim was ejected from the Federation Science Institute for conducting unauthorized experiments. Picard only knows Manheim left suddenly, 15 years ago, while he was teaching in Paris, France back on Earth. Picard's thoughts drift to something else. He tells Data to call him as soon as they reach Manheim's location.
After changing to his uniform, Picard goes to a holodeck and brings up a program for Paris, on a warm spring day. Picard enters and steps onto the patio of the "Cafe Des Artistes". A mix of advanced 24th century and classical Victorian Era architecture fills the Paris skyline A waiter greets Picard and he takes him to the table Picard used to sit at in the real setting. The waiter asks if he'd like anything, but Picard has only come for the view. He says it was many years ago, He was supposed to meet a young woman at this table. The waiter asks if she ever came, but Picard isn't sure. He always imagined she had. The waiter understands, and tells Picard he will bring him something special.
Picard observes a lovely young girl at a nearby table. She is talking to a friend, indicating she is anxious to hear her lover's decision. She wonders if he'll decide to follow his dream of exploring the stars or remain on Earth to explore love. It bears an uncanny resemblance to Picard's situation. Picard interrupts and says her lover must decide to be the person he wants to be. She deserves nothing less. The waiter returns with some vintage Bordeaux and pours a glass. Picard offers a glass to the young lady as well. The girl moves to sit with him, and asks if she reminds him of the girl he left behind. Picard says it was a long time ago, but assures her that he hasn't forgotten a single detail of her face. She asks her name. Picard says Jenice, and then stares off to the view of the city letting the old memories wash over him.
Picard returns to the bridge. They are about to arrive at the coordinates. Riker reports the time ripple had been felt by the USS Lalo and the colony on Coltar IV. Data still works at the computer, unsure of what the readings are telling him. He indicates, that Dr. Manheim, or some one else, has opened a "window" into another dimension. He can't provide a better explanation, stating to answer what has really happened, is to answer the most important scientific questions of the 24th century. They finally arrive at the coordinates but they find nothing there. Lt. Commander La Forge then picks up new coordinates relayed from the same source, but leading to the Vandor system. Picard has a course layed in and they arrive to find a battered planetoid. Geordi believes Manheim doesn't want to be found easily. They enter orbit and detect an impenetrable force field surrounding the planetoid. There is a facility on the surface. Picard makes contact, and gets a hysterical reply from a woman who begs for help. Picard melts inside when he hears the familiar voice. The woman says her husband is unconscious and needs help. Picard tells her to lower the force field and has them beamed the two directly to sickbay.
Dr. Manheim is taken to a bed. His wife remains at his side. Dr. Crusher reports Manheim is in and out of conscious. Picard tells her as soon as he is stable he wants him to answer questions about what the hell is going on down there. Picard arrives at sickbay and sees Manheim's wife Jenice standing in the doorway. Her eyes pop open at the sight of him; "Jean-Luc?" He nods, then switches his attention to the injured man. Crusher injects some stimulants and the patient stirs, but is still unconscious. Picard takes Jenice into Crusher's office and asks her what is going on. She says her husband has been working in the lab for days, but doesn't know what he's been doing. Picard believes he must have told her something. She says she's just a glorified lab assistant. Her husbands thinking is far beyond her understanding. She's given up figuring it out years ago. All she knows is that he was close to a major breakthrough.
Picard wants to know why they are out here in the middle of nowhere. Jenice says her husband was paranoid others were stealing his ideas. He wanted a secluded place to work in private, where no one could shut him down. She explains Manheim is a lot like himself. Seeking the challenges of the unknown. Picard says he has to beam a team down there to investigate, but Jenice says they'll never get past her husband's elaborate security systems. He then asks Dr. Crusher's prognosis. Beverly says the professor is dying. His entire genetic structure has been altered. She doesn't know how or why. It's something she's never encountered before. Picard promises Jenice they will do all he can to help her husband. Jenice kisses Picard on the cheek as she heads out in worry. He notes Beverly's reaction to the kiss, and indicates Jenice is an old friend.
Picard walks to the bridge with Data and Riker. When the three enter the turbolift, they see their past selves for a second standing behind them. Data indicates, the "Manheim Effect" is becoming more prevalent. When they get to the bridge, Data reports their detection of a energy beam somewhere in the main lab of the facility, and suggests it may be whatever is keeping the dimensional door open. They still know virtually nothing of what Manheim was doing in the lab. All Data knows is that Manheim made some pioneering efforts in subspace communication and thermodynamics, but these may have no relevance to what experiments he was conducting recently. Before he disappeared he was working on theories of linear time, but is uncertain how far he has gotten before leaving the institute. Picard wonders if they deal with whatever is down there from the ship, but Data doesn't see how. He will at least, need to have Manheim's notes, which are down on the planet. Picard explains there are defense systems in place, but Worf assures no system is impervious. Riker insists it's worth a try. Picard gives him the go ahead to beam a team down. Riker, Data and Worf step to the transporter pad. The operator energizes the beam but there is a problem. The three begin to materialize in a corridor of the station, but their forms become erratic and they bounce back to the Enterprise, nearly losing Worf in the process.
Crusher calls Picard to tell him know Manheim has come around. They head down to get some answers from the horse's mouth. Jenice is at her husband's side. He is confused about what happened, not remembering anything. He keeps saying whatever has happened, he is sure it is all worth it, but Jenice doesn't understand her husband's obsession. He indicates he has been to the “other side”. Beverly grows concerned and tells the doctor to relax. Picard and Data enter. Picard tells him they need his help. Whatever it is he's working on is effecting the entire galaxy. Manheim indicates he has been struggling with the relationships of time and gravity, they'll find everything in his notes, but Picard presses him to give the information personally. Manheim tries to explain it as simply as he can, stating he was able to harness and redirect the energy of a star that had gone supernova, tapping into the gravitational power to produce a funnel into another dimension. He refers to it as entering the mind of God. Data admits it is a truly brilliant idea, but Picard wonders if Manheim is brilliant enough to know how to close it. Manheim begins to go into a nearly hysterical laugh. He seems to be going mad. Beverly prepares to inject him with something to calm him. Picard needs the access codes to transport down. Manheim, however he doesn't remember the codes at the moment. Picard leaves in agitation.
Picard heads to the observation lounge. Worf insists on another attempt at beaming down, but Picard won't allow it until he's certain they'll have safe passage. Worf is discouraged but agrees and heads out just as Jenice enters to talk. Picard can't believe how beautiful she still looks. She asks him why he stood her up back in Paris. He admits it was fear. Fear in loosing her and loosing himself. She says not a day has gone by that she didn't look to the stars and think about him. She admits she still loves him, and always will. Picard smiles, but he is fearful if the time experiment goes out of control, he'll lose her again.
Down in sickbay, Manheim is resting. Beverly is worried about his condition. Deanna enters, asking her how she is doing. She says fine considering she has one of the most brilliant minds dying in her sickbay. Deanna knows she has something else on her mind; her feelings for the Captain, and the reappearance of a ghost from his past that she can't compete with. Deanna thinks she should talk to him about it, but Beverly says he'll have to work things out without her input. She goes back to her frustrating work of stabilizing the professor. Manheim later awakens and asks to speak with Picard. Picard arrives to see the scientist is awake. Manheim tells him that he deserves Jenice, he knows she has always loved him. Picard says he hasn't come to talk about her, but Manheim wants to be sure, that whatever happens to him, Picard must promise to take care of her. Manheim passes out again leaving Picard uneasy.
Later, Data reports that they have managed to bypass the transporter security system. Picard hoped to have all the systems deactivated, but they must stop the haywire experiment. He gives Data approval to beam down alone. He beams down into a corridor within the facility. As soon as he appears, he encounters blasts from two automated security phasers near the main door to the lab. He uses his quick android reflexes to leap to cover and fires at the weapons to disable them. He walks to the door which is barred by glowing beams of energy. He overrides the controls and makes access, finding a column of energy emanating from machinery in the center of the lab. The energy is making waves of distorted patterns and relections.
Data looks the system over, gaining access to Manheims notes in the computer. Nearby is a container of antimatter, and Data gets an idea. He calls to the Enterprise and indicates he can add the antimatter to the dimensional matrix and restabilize the energy flow. This should cause the dimensional window to collapse and if successful, end the "Manheim Effect". The attempt may be risky however, but Picard tells him to do whatever he can. Data uses a gripping device to carefully remove the antimatter container and readies to insert it into the dimensional column. He looks back and is amazed to see his past self entering the room. A third Data appears and repeats the actions of the second. Their pace seems sped up however and within seconds they line up behind Data ready to insert the container. Only one Data is in the correct timeline, and they each have to determine which is which. They decide to simultaneously work together. The Datas insert the antimatter and the column of energy flares up and finally vanishes. The hole has been plugged. Data's doubles have disappeared.
All aboard the Enterprise are relieved. Data returns to the ship. Meanwhile, Manheim seems to have made an instant recovery. He awakes as his excited self again. Jenice is ecstatic and hugs her husband. He assures her that everything is okay now. Picard enters. Manheim thanks him for his help. He assures Picard that he will not conduct such a foolish experiment again. He will continue everything anew, and be sure it's done right the next time. Picard tells him he should go back to the institute and conduct his research under Federation supervision. Manheim agrees. His biggest mistake was being to eager to prove himself and not working responsibly.
With everything settled, Picard heads back to the holodeck cafe program. He sits at his table, but he is surprised to see Jenice enter. She says Deanna told her where to find him. She wanted to say goodbye to him. Picard says he can never say goodbye to her and admits she has more courage than he has. She agrees, saying not too many people can boast about that. They share a glass of wine together recalling the old times they had. She states they could have been the happiest couple in all the worlds. She knows that they had both made good choices.
Janice and her husband head back to their facility. Picard arrives on the bridge, telling Riker he remembers them being on their way to some R&R. Riker orders the course to Sarona VIII, mentioning ther is a great bar there, just across the street from the Zanza Men's Club, but he forgot the name. Picard knows the place, the Blue Parrot Cafe, and tells Riker he's buying.
Trivia
Jenice is played by Michelle Phillips, better known as one of the members of The Mamas & the Papas and her role television role on Knots Landing.
The episode's title comes from the movie Casablanca.
This episode suffered from the Writers Guild of America Strike of 1988, during which the episode's filming was delayed a few weeks until the script could be completed.