'Cause and Effect' (Story Code 218) by Brannon Braga

The starboard nacelle of the U.S.S. Enterprise has been hit and is leaking drive plasma; Lieutenant LaForge attempts to shut down the warp core, but the shutdown is unsuccessful, and as Captain Picard gives the order to abandon ship the vessel blows up in a huge explosion…

Stardate 45652.1. While the Enterprise charts the unexplored Typhon Expanse, Lieutenant Commander Data, Commander Riker, Lieutenant Worf and Doctor Crusher enjoy a game of poker; Beverly experiences a strange feeling of déjà vu, which helps her to win the game, but she later experiences the sensation again in sickbay, while examining a dizzy Lieutenant LaForge, and then hears incomprehensible voices in her quarters. The following morning she informs Captain Picard, who agrees to run a diagnostic, but they are interrupted when a fluctuating space / time distortion is detected; the main propulsion systems collapse, propelling the Enterprise on a collision course with an older starship. Riker recommends decompressing the main shuttle bay to move them out of the way, while Data proposes using the tractor beam to alter the other vessel’s trajectory. Picard takes Data’s advice, but the attempt fails - both ships collide and the Enterprise blows up in a huge explosion…

Stardate 45652.1. While the Enterprise charts the unexplored Typhon Expanse, Lieutenant Commander Data, Commander Riker, Lieutenant Worf and Doctor Crusher enjoy a game of poker; Beverly and Riker experience a strange feeling of déjà vu, which Beverly then experiences again in sickbay, while examining a dizzy Lieutenant LaForge, who also feels that they have had their conversation before. Beverly informs Captain Picard, who agrees to run a diagnostic. However, the next morning discussions of the diagnostic are interrupted when a fluctuating space / time distortion is detected; the main propulsion systems collapse, propelling the Enterprise on a collision course with an older starship. Riker recommends decompressing the main shuttle bay to move them out of the way, while Data proposes using the tractor beam to alter the other vessel’s trajectory. Picard takes Data’s advice, but the attempt fails - both ships collide and the Enterprise blows up in a huge explosion…

The poker game begins once more, but all four players are aware that they know what cards are coming next. After Beverly anticipates treating LaForge in Sickbay, she records the voices in her room. Data analyses the tape recording, and finds that the voices belong to the Enterprise crew. Beverly and Geordi realise that they are trapped in a causality loop - and if they cannot find a way to break free of it, they will be doomed to endlessly repeat the same fragment of time forever...

Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander William Thomas Riker), LeVar Burton (Chief Engineer Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Security Chief Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Doctor Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Councelor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lieutenant Commander Data), Michelle Forbes (Ensign Ro Laren), Patti Yasutake (Nurse Alyssa Ogawa), Kelsey Grammer (Captain Morgan Bateson)

Directed by Jonathan Frakes
Co-Produced by Joe Menosky, Ronald D. Moore and Peter Lauritson
Produced by David Livingston
Executive Producer Michael Piller, Rick Berman and Gene Roddenberry

TX:
23rd March, 1992

Notes:
*Featuring Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William Thomas Riker, Chief Engineer Lieutenant Geordi La Forge, Security Chief Lieutenant Worf, Doctor Beverly Crusher, Councelor Deanna Troi, Lieutenant Commander Data and Ensign Ro Laren