Jean-Luc Picard quotes from Star Trek: The Next Generation

Picard

Q!

Q

[playfully mocking his embarrassment] Red alert!

Q

I have no powers! Q the ordinary!

Picard

Q the liar! Q the misanthrope!

Q

Q the miserable, Q the desperate! What must I do to convince you people?

Worf

Die!

Q

Oh, very clever, Worf. Eat any good books lately?

Q

The Calamarain are not very hospitable creatures. They exist as swirls of ionised gas.

Picard

What did you do to them, Q?

Q

Nothing bizarre, nothing grotesque.

Riker

You tormented them.

Q

A subjective term, Riker. One creature's torment, is another creature's delight. They simply have no sense of humour, a character flaw with which you can personally identify.

Riker

I say we turn him over to them.

Q

Oh, I take it back. You do have a sense of humour. A dreadful one at that.

Riker

I'm serious.

Picard

[After Q stole a shuttle] This goes against my better judgment. Transporter Room 3, lock onto Shuttle 1 and beam it back into its bay.

Aye, sir.

Picard

[after Riker gives him a disapproving look] It's a perfectly good shuttlecraft!

Data

Hm. Ensign Williams' striking style is heavily influenced by geometric constructivism. Lt. Wright has effectively fused the incongruities of the surrealists with the irrationality of Dadaism. [Data proceeds to Picard's painting.] Interesting.

Picard

Oh! Thank you. In what way?

Data

While suggesting the free treatment of form usually attributed to Fauvism, this quite inappropriately attempts to juxtapose the disparate cubistic styles of Picasso and Leger. In addition, the use of colour suggests a haphazard mélange of clashing styles. Furthermore, the unsettling overtones of proto-Vulcan influences--

Picard

Thank you, Mister Data.

Data

You are welcome, sir. If I can be of further assistance--

Picard

No! Thank you.

Jean-Luc Picard

How can I ask them to sacrifice themselves based solely on your intuition?

Guinan

I don't know. But I do know that this is a mistake. Every fiber in my being says this is a mistake. I can't explain it to myself, so I can't explain it to you. I only know that I'm right.

Jean-Luc Picard

Who is to say that this history is any less proper than the other?

Guinan

I suppose I am.

Jean-Luc Picard

Not good enough, damn it, not good enough! I will not ask them to die!

Guinan

40 billion people have already died. This war is not supposed to be happening. You've got to send those people back to correct this.

Jean-Luc Picard

And what is to guarantee that if they go back, they will succeed? Every instinct is telling me this is wrong, it is dangerous, it is futile!

Guinan

We've known each other a long time. You have never known me to impose myself on anyone, or take a stance based on trivial or whimsical perceptions. This timeline must not be allowed to continue. Now, I've told you what you must do. You have only your trust in me to help you decide to do it.

To be honest with you, Picard... a significant number of my crew members have expressed the desire to return, even knowing the odds. Some because they can't bear to live without their loved ones; some because they don't like the idea of slipping out in the middle of a fight. But I have told them that, in the here and now the Federation needs another ship against the Klingons, and we'd better get used to being in the here and now.

Jean-Luc Picard

But, if you go back, it could be a great deal more helpful. The war is going very badly for the Federation... far worse than is generally known. Starfleet Command believes that defeat is inevitable. Within six months, we may have no choice but to surrender.

And you're saying that all this may be a result of our arrival here?

Jean-Luc Picard

One more ship will make no difference in the here and now, but 22 years ago, one ship could have stopped this war before it started.

Mr. Castillo.

Yes, Captain.

Inform the crew we're going back.

Yes, Captain.

The Romulans will get a good fight. We'll make it one for the history books.

Jean-Luc Picard

Come. Yes, Lieutenant?

Tasha Yar

Captain, I request a transfer to the Enterprise-C.

Jean-Luc Picard

For what reason?

Tasha Yar

They need someone at Tactical.

Jean-Luc Picard

We need you here.

Tasha Yar

I'm not supposed to be here, sir.

Jean-Luc Picard

Sit down, Lieutenant. What did she say to you?

Tasha Yar

I don't belong here, sir. I'm supposed to be...dead.

Jean-Luc Picard

She felt it necessary to reveal that to you?

Tasha Yar

I felt it was necessary.

Jean-Luc Picard

I see. You realise that it is very possible the Enterprise-C will fail. We will continue in this time line, in which case your life, hopefully, will continue for a long while.

Tasha Yar

I know how important it is that they don't fail, Captain. That's why I'm requesting this transfer.

Jean-Luc Picard

You don't belong on that ship, Lieutenant.

Tasha Yar

No, Captain Garrett belongs on that ship. But she's dead. And I think there's a certain logic in this request.

Jean-Luc Picard

There's no logic in this at all! Whether they succeed or not, the Enterprise-C will be destroyed!

Tasha Yar

But Captain, at least with someone at Tactical they will have a chance to defend themselves well. It may be a matter of seconds or minutes, but those could be the minutes that change history. Guinan says I died a senseless death in the other time line. I didn't like the sound of that, Captain. I've always known the risks that come with a Starfleet uniform. If I'm to die in one, I'd like my death to count for something.

Tasha Yar

Thank you, sir.

Federation Ship Enterprise. Surrender and prepare to be boarded.

Jean-Luc Picard

[grimly] That'll be the day.

Data

Then he is questioning my ability as a parent.

Jean-Luc Picard

In a manner of speaking.

Data

Does the Admiral have children, sir?

Jean-Luc Picard

Yes, I believe he does, Data. Why?

Data

I am forced to wonder how much experience he had as a parent when his first child was born.

(high-ranking Klingon) This is not the Federation, Picard. If you defy an order of the High Council, the alliance with the Federation could fall to dust.

Jean-Luc Picard

The alliance with the Federation is not based on lies, K'mpec. Protect your secrets if you must, but you will not sacrifice these men.

Jean-Luc Picard

I'm not here to command.

Then you must be ready to fight. Something Starfleet does not teach you.

Jean-Luc Picard

You may test that assumption at your convenience.

We were merely curious, we meant no harm!

We did not, after all, injure you in any way!

Picard

Imprisonment is an injury, regardless of how you justify it. And now that you have had a taste of captivity, perhaps you will reconsider the morality of inflicting it on others. In any event, we now know of your race. And we know how to imprison you. Bear that in mind. Now get the hell off my ship.

Jean-Luc Picard

Is the entire crew aware of this little scheme to send me off on holiday?

William Riker

I believe there are two ensigns stationed on deck 39 who know nothing about it.

Jean-Luc Picard

Will you at least try to stay out of trouble?

I always try.