Jean-Luc Picard, Rasmussen and others in “Unfinished Business”

Jean-Luc Picard

I have two choices. Either way, one version of history or another will wend its way forward. The history you know or another one. Now, who is to say which is better? What I do know is here, today, one way, millions of lives could be saved! Now isn't that incentive enough?

Everyone dies, Captain! It's just a question of when! All of those people down there died years before I was born! All of you up here, as well! So you see, I can't get quite as worked up as you over the fate of some colonists who, for me, have been dead a very, very long time.

Picard

Of course, you know of the Prime Directive, which tells us that we have no right to interfere with the natural evolution of alien worlds. Now I have sworn to uphold it... but nevertheless I have disregarded that directive, on more than one occasion. Because I thought it was the right thing to do! Now, if you are holding on to some... temporal equivalent of that directive, then isn't it possible that you have an occasion here to make an exception? To help me to choose, because it's the right thing to do?

We're not just talking about a choice. It sounds to me like you're trying to manipulate the future.

Picard

Every choice we make allows us to manipulate the future! Do I, um... "Do I ask Adrienne or Suzanne to the spring dance?" "Do I take my holiday on Corsica or on Risa?" A person's life, their future, hinges on each of a thousand choices. Living is making choices! Now you ask me to believe that if I make a choice other than the one found in your history books, then your past will be irrevocably altered. Well, you know, Professor, perhaps I don't give a damn about your past, because your past is my future and as far as I'm concerned, it hasn't been written yet!