The Enterprise crew then saw the Scorpion appear.
"Worf! Lock on transporters!" Riker said.
On the Scimitar bridge Shinzon saw the Scorpion as well.
"Tractor beam! Now!" he said.
But they were too late, the Scorpion dematerialized and materialized in one of the Enterprise's cargo bays.
Picard and Data climbed out.
"Number One, emergency warp!" Picard said through the com.
The Enterprise dramatically powers forward and up rolling over in a great arc going into warp while still upside down.
Then it disappeared in a blaze of light.
Shinzon sat in his command chair on the Scimitar bridge as the ship streaks through space. He speaks on view screen with his Romulan collaborators. His face is even more finely veined now.
"The Enterprise is immaterial! They won't make it back to Federation space." he said.
"This has gone far enough!" Suran said angrily on the view screen.
"I thought we discussed patience, Commander."
"And mine is wearing thin, young man! We supported you because you promised action. And yet you delay and you waste your time playing games with Picard while -"
Shinzon stood and briskly pulled down his uniform tunic exactly as we've seen Picard do a thousand times.
"Commander Suran, the games are over. In two days the Federation will be crippled beyond repair. Does that satisfy you?"
"For the moment." she said grim.
"And when I return... you and I shall have a little talk about showing proper respect!"
The view screen picture of Shinzon snapped out. The Romulan sat for a silent in the chamber.
"Does anyone in this room harbor any illusions about what he means by "showing proper respect"?" Donatra asked.
"What's happening to his face?" Tal'aura asked.
"I want opinions. He is clearly out of his mind." Suran said. "But can he complete his mission?"
"Should he?" Donatra asked.
They look at her.
"Are you prepared to have your hands drenched in blood? He'll show them no mercy. And his sins will mark us all for generations. Is that what you truly want, Romulans?" she said. "I think you should consider that question now - or else you may have a lifetime to think about it in the dilithium mines."
She turned and stalked out.
On the Enterprise ready room Beverly was sitting with Picard and Riker.
"The more I studied his DNA the more confusing it got. Finally I could only come to one conclusion... Shinzon was created with temporal RNA sequencing. He was designed so that at a certain point his aging process could be accelerated to reach your age more quickly, so he could replace you." she said
"But the Romulans abandoned the plan..." Picard said.
"As a result the temporal sequencing was never activated. Remember, he was supposed to replace you at nearly your current age. He was engineered to skip thirty years of life. But since the RNA sequencing was never activated, his cellular structure has started to break down. He's dying."
"Dying?"
"He wasn't designed to live a complete, human life span." Riker said.
"Can anything be done for him?" Picard asked.
"Not without a complete myelodysplastic infusion from the only donor with compatible DNA. But that would mean draining all your blood." Beverly said.
"That's why he went to all that trouble to capture you." Riker said.
"How long does he have?" Picard asked.
"I can't be sure but the rate of decay seems to be accelerating." Beverly said.
Picard considered this.
"Then he'll come for me as a donor." he said.
Data was in his cabin standing before the B-9.
The B-9 had been deactivated, he stood lifeless and immobile. Data gazed deeply into his double's identical features. Then he opened a panel in the B-9's neck and used a small instrument to activate the android's head.
Then B-9's eyes sprung to life and looks at Data.
"Brother. I cannot move."
"No, I have only activated your cognitive and communication subroutines."
"Why?"
"Because you are dangerous."
"Why?"
"You have been programmed to gather information that can be used against this ship."
"I do not understand."
"I know." Data then stopped. "Do you know anything about Shinzon's plans against the Federation?"
"No."
"Do you have any knowledge of the tactical abilities of his ship?"
"No. Can I move now?"
"No. I must deactivate you."
"For how long?"
"Indefinitely."
"How long is that?"
Data gazed at the B-9 deeply.
"A long time, brother." he said then reached forward and deactivated his brother.
The B-9's eyes closed. He stood, frozen with Data stands before him.
In the Observation lounge Picard was gathered with his senior officers and Wesley.
A computer display illustrates Geordi's words about the power of Shinzon's weapon. We see a chilling graphic of the Biogenic Pulse beam spreading around a ship, then a whole planet.
"It's called a Cascading Biogenic Pulse. The unique properties of Thalaron radiation allow the energy beam to-" Geordi started but was interrupted by Wesley.
"Expand almost without limits. Depending on the radiant intensity it could encompass a ship or a planet." he said.
Everyone looked at him and he smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, it's just an old habit and I kinda missed this." he said rubbing the back of his neck.
Everyone nodded understanding that he missed it.
"And that's exactly what he's going to do." Picard said thinking
"Sir?" Riker said confused.
"His hatred of the Federation is apparent. He would have built a weapon of that scope for one reason. He is going after Earth."
"Oh boy. Destroy humanity and the Federation is crippled..."
"And the Romulans invade."
"How can you be certain?" Deanna asked.
"I know how he thinks."
"And there's no way to penetrate his cloak?" Riker asked Geordi.
"No, sir."
"He could pass within 10 meters of every ship in Starfleet and they'd never know." Riker said frustrated.
"But we do have one advantage." Beverly said to Picard. "He needs your blood to live. He might come after you first."
"I'm counting on it. We've been ordered to head to sector 3274. Starfleet is diverting the fleet to meet us there." Wesley said.
"Strength in numbers?" Riker asked.
"We can only hope so." Picard said as he looked at them gravely. "He can't be allowed to use that weapon. All other concerns are secondary. Do you understand me?"
Riker knew exactly what Picard was saying: the Enterprise is expendable.
"Yes, sir." he said.
Then Picard stood and pressed a comm button.
"All hands. Battle stations."
The Enterprise was preparing for battle.
Crew members assume battle stations. Weapons locker ring open and Security Officers hand out side arms and phaser rifles.
Geordi, Wesley and his Engineers establish emergency forced field around the warp core, Riker and Worf brief officers on tactical plans, Data worked at the bridge Science Station, analyzing data on Shinzon's ship.
Picard walked through the corridors, he stopped to talk with apprehensive young ensign.
"Captain's Personal Log. Supplemental. We're heading toward Federation space at maximum warp. The crew has responded with the dedication I've come to expect of them. And like a thousand other commanders on a thousand other battlefields throughout history, I wait for the dawn." he said.
After that he entered sickbay.
Dr. Crusher and her medical staff are hard at work. They position anti-grav gurneys and ready medical supplies.
Security officers are handing out phasers.
Picard watched the grim preparations. Beverly goes to him, bolstering her phaser.
"To seek out new life and new civilizations. Zephyr Cochran's own words. When Charles Darwin set out on the H.M.S. Beagle, on his journey into the unknown... he sailed without a single musket." he said quietly.
"That was another time." Beverly said gently.
"How far we've come. Let me know if you need anything."
Then he started to go.
"Jean Luc..." He stopped. "... He is not you."
"What makes us who we are, Doctor? Can you tell me that?"
She watched him go.
In the Scimitar bridge Shinzon was sitting in his command chair, lined with veins now.
His Viceroy again has his hand pressed to Shinzon's chest.
"How long?" he asked.
"A matter of hours now -" Viceroy said then Shinzon shoved him away and stood. "If you don't begin the procedure soon you'll never make it back to Romulus. You shouldn't have delayed. You should have killed Picard the moment -"
Shinzon then slammed his command chair in fury and the Viceroy watched him carefully.
Shinzon regained his composure and sat back down in his command chair.
"How long until we reach the Rift?"
"Seven minutes." Viceroy said checking a console.
Shinzon leaned back, satisfied. And looked at the view screen.
The Enterprise only a few hundred yards away.
The Enterprise zoomed through space completely unaware of the predator directly above it.