- [last lines]
- Dr. Kila Marr: [addressing her son through Data] Tell me... that you understand, Renny. That... that you know I d... I did it for you, 'cause I love you, because I wanted to give you peace at last.
- Lt. Commander Data: I do not find such a file in your son's journals, Doctor; however, from what I know of him, by his memories and his writing, I do not believe he would be happy. He was proud of your career as a scientist, and now you have destroyed that. You say you did it for him, but I do not believe he would have wanted that. Yes... I believe your son would be very sad now. I am sorry, Doctor, but I cannot help you.
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: [on the Crystalline Entity] If we can determine what its needs are, we might find other sources to supply it.
- Dr. Kila Marr: Its needs are to slaughter people by the thousands. It is nothing but a giant killing machine!
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: Doctor, the sperm whale on Earth devours millions of cuttlefish as it roams the oceans. It is not evil; it is feeding. The same may be true of the Entity.
- Dr. Kila Marr: That would be small comfort for those who have died to feed it. We're not talking about cuttlefish; we're talking about people!
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: I would argue that the Crystalline Entity has as much right to be here as we do.
- Commander William T. Riker: Data, we've only seen the Crystalline Entity once before. How do you know these metals will protect us?
- Lt. Commander Data: I am not entirely certain they will, sir.
- Commander William T. Riker: I was afraid you were going to say something like that.
- Dr. Kila Marr: [about her son] I left him with friends. I chose to pursue my own career. I planned to go back but things kept interfering, and... I kept thinking, "I'll go next... month," but there weren't any more "next months."
- Dr. Kila Marr: How long will you live, Data?
- Lt. Commander Data: There has been no predetermined limit placed on my existence, Doctor.
- Dr. Kila Marr: [sighs in relief] I'm glad. As long as you're alive, he'll be alive.
- Dr. Kila Marr: I don't understand. Why are we pursuing the Entity if not to destroy it?
- Captain Jean-Luc Picard: We're not hunters, Doctor, nor is it our role to exact revenge.
- Dr. Kila Marr: What do you propose? We track it down, greet it warmly, and ask it if it would mind terribly not ravaging any more planets?
- Carmen Davila: It's exciting to find a new world, but the joy comes in making it a home - building houses, having children...
- Commander William T. Riker: Very interesting. I'd love to discuss this further with you. Dinner tonight?
- Carmen Davila: If you wanna share camp rations in my tent, I'd be delighted.
- Dr. Kila Marr: [to Data] My son died on Omicron Theta. He was sixteen when the colony was attacked. That is the reason I have become an expert on the Crystalline Entity. I have spent my life studying it, tracking it, and hoping one day to find it - and if I learn you have been helping that thing in any way whatsoever, I will see to it that you are disassembled piece by piece.
- [first lines]
- Carmen Davila: The hospital facility will be located there, facing north in that grove of trees. And the school and the arts centre will be standing there, centrally located among the residential pods.
- Commander Riker: Very good. At this rate, we'll be able to bring the next wave of colonists in in about six months. I've to tell you I envy you. This is a beautiful place to put down roots.
- Carmen Davila: Somehow, Riker, you don't strike me as the kind that puts down roots.
- Commander Riker: No? How do I strike you?
- Carmen Davila: As a free spirit. An adventurer.
- Commander Riker: An adventurer? Aren't you pioneers adventurers at heart?
- Carmen Davila: Of course. But we also have this nesting instinct.