Craig's Star Trek Page

Movie Synopsis

In 2271 an unknown, cloud-like entity descends upon several Klingon vessels and destroys them. Having monitored the surprise attack, Federation space station Epsilon Nine is still unable to prevent itself from becoming the next victim of this vast, mysterious energy cloud.

Meanwhile, on Vulcan, Spock is preparing to undergo the rite of Kolinahr -- the achievement of total Vulcan logic -- and the purging of all remaining emotion. Just then Spock's human half stirs in response to the cloud entity, interrupting his meditation and forcing the Vulcan masters to withdraw Spock's admission to their ranks.

On Earth, the U.S.S. Enterprise is readying to investigate the cloud entity. Admiral Nogura is persuaded by Admiral James T. Kirk to hand over command of the newly refit Starship Enterprise to him, superseding the vessel's present captain, Will Decker, who is unhappy with this new situation. Arriving on board the Enterprise, Kirk requests that Dr. Leonard McCoy, retired now, be recalled into service as the starship's doctor. An unchanged, blustery Dr. McCoy comes aboard and replaces Dr. Christine Chapel, who steps down out of respect. Also on board is a Deltan navigator, Ilia, who in the past was romantically involved with Will Decker.

In a tragic accident, two crew members are killed in a transporter malfunction -- one of which was the new Vulcan science officer, Sonak.

The accident behind them, Kirk gathers much of the crew together to deliver a mission briefing, stressing the enormous power of the entity they are faced with. After a relatively uneventful departure from Earth's drydock facilities, the U.S.S. Enterprise is suddenly faced with a giant wormhole and Kirk, unfamiliar with the design of the new vessel, almost allows the wormhole to destroy the ship. The U.S.S. Enterprise escapes, however, and is hailed by a courier vessel bearing Kirk's new science officer. Overcome with joy at seeing Spock, Kirk is soon confronted with a cold, withdrawn stranger.

The starship eventually encounters the cloud-like being, yet the entity proves to be too strong, damaging the U.S.S. Enterprise on all levels and leaving the starship stricken. When Spock attempts to communicate with the cloud by sending messages of non-aggression, a probe is triggered and sent from the center of the cloud. The crew can only watch helplessly as the probe accesses the U.S.S. Enterprise's consoles and computers, accumulating data from all parts of the ship. In his attempt to stop the violation, Spock is attacked, whereupon the probe vanishes with Ilia.

The U.S.S. Enterprise is then seized by a tractor beam and pulled inside the cloud to a large chamber. Another probe, in the form of Ilia, appears and tells them that it has been sent by "V'Ger" to study the carbon-based units that "infest" the starship. Furthermore, the crew learns that V'Ger is on its way to Earth to join with its "Creator."

In an attempt to establish contact with V'Ger, Kirk trades on Decker's past association with Ilia and assigns Decker to work with the probe. The Ilia-probe tells him that the carbon-units will be patterned for data storage.

Deciding that the best method of gathering more data about V'Ger is directly from the source, Spock dons a thrust suit and leaves the ship. His incredible visual journey to the center of the cloud culminates when Spock sees images of everything that V'Ger has experienced. Spock tries to mind-meld with the life-form, but is short-circuited and barely makes it back to the U.S.S. Enterprise. Taken to sickbay, Spock informs Kirk that his mind-meld did allow him to learn that V'Ger is lonely and seeking to learn why it was created. Furthermore, it is learned that a machine planet built the cloud and craft that house V'Ger.

V'Ger arrives at Earth and signals its Creator. When there is no response, V'Ger blasts energy bolts at the planet in an attempt to rid it of all its carbon infestations. Forced to act, Kirk tells V'Ger he knows why the Creator has not answered. The Ilia-probe, interested by Kirk's remark, says it will cease its attack when Kirk explains. But Kirk replies he will answer to no one but V'Ger itself. With some trepidation, Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Decker are lead by the Ilia-probe outside the ship to the "brain" of V'Ger. At the center of the chamber, the Starfleet officers are surprised to discover that V'Ger is in reality a twentieth century Earth robot space probe. In fact, a mounted plaque looks as though it reads "Voyager 6."

Kirk and his crew discover that the probe disappeared into a black hole and emerged at the other end, crash landing on a planet inhabited by living machines. After repairing the probe, the machines then followed its programming -- observe and transmit readings to NASA. Spock deduces that these living machines interpreted those long-ago orders as "Learn all that is learnable and return that information to the Creator."

When the U.S.S. Enterprise transmits old Voyager codes, the V'Ger transmits all of its information. Then, unexpectedly, V'Ger insists that the Creator come in person to finish the sequence. When he realizes that V'Ger wants to physically merge with its Creator, Will Decker volunteers. Decker and Ilia join together and merge into a glowing, non-corporeal entity, which disappears.

The U.S.S. Enterprise crew humbly realize that a new life form has just been created. The experience has left Spock more at peace with himself and he decides not to return to Vulcan. Kirk has command of his beloved U.S.S. Enterprise and McCoy is back in charge of sickbay.

Having witnessed events suggesting that "the human adventure is just beginning," Kirk commands the starship out to space for a real shakedown cruise and future missions.

Cast:

William Shatner as James Tiberius Kirk™
Leonard Nimoy as Spock™
DeForest Kelley as Leonard H. McCoy™
James Doohan as Montgomery Scott
Nichelle Nichols as Uhura™
George Takei as Hikaru Sulu™
Walter Koenig as Pavel Andreievich Chekov™
Majel Barrett as Christine Chapel™

Guest Cast:

Persis Khambatta as Lt. Ilia
Stephen Collins as Capt. Will Decker
Grace Lee Whitney as Janice Rand
Mark Lenard as Klingon Captain

Creative Staff:

Story By: Alan Dean Foster
Written By: Harold Livingston
Director: Robert Wise

In 2285 at Starfleet Academy, Admiral Kirk is busy training new cadets. Among the cadets is Saavik, a young protege of Spock's, who feels that she has failed the Kobayashi Maru - a no-win scenario test used to evaluate potential commanders. Kirk advises the young Vulcan that all commanders at some point must face a "no-win" situation. Saavik, displaying her willingness to become a reliable commander, pilots the Enterprise out of spacedock on a routine cadet training exercise.

Meanwhile, Dr. Carol Marcus, an old love of Kirk's, and her son, David, complete the final computer simulation of the Genesis project -- a program designed to grant life where there is none -- on the space laboratory Regula I. However, Dr. Marcus is concerned that Genesis could also be used as a weapon. At the same time, the U.S.S. Reliant arrives at Ceti Alpha VI with a mission to check for signs of life on the planet, a possible test site for Genesis. Curious, Captain Terrell and Chekov beam to the surface where they are confronted by Khan Noonien Singh, the former tyrant of Earth's Eugenic Wars, exiled to the planet in 2267 by Captain Kirk. With the aid of mind-controlling Ceti eels implanted in Terrell and Chekov, Khan gains control of the Reliant.

At the Regula I space laboratory, Dr. Marcus is contacted by the Reliant and told that Ceti Alpha VI has met the conditions required for testing of the Genesis Device; the Reliant will therefore now take the Genesis Device, months before the scheduled test. Furious at this encroachment by Starfleet, Dr. Marcus contacts Kirk on the Enterprise, expressing her outrage at the Admiral and Starfleet for their militaristic intentions. Although Kirk, McCoy, Uhura and Sulu are leading a training mission for the Starfleet cadets, the crew decides to head to Regulus I to investigate Dr. Marcus' complaint. When they arrive, the Enterprise is inexplicably fired on by the Reliant. Khan finally reveals himself from the bridge of the Reliant, demanding that Kirk give him the Genesis information. Kirk pulls a brilliant bluff, allowing the Enterprise precious computer time to secretly lower the shields of the other starship. The Enterprise then damages the Reliant, forcing the captured starship to withdraw for the moment.

When Kirk and company board Regula I, the crew is shocked to find that the scientists have been tortured and killed. They follow transporter traces to the interior of the planetoid below, finding Chekov and Captain Terrell alive and seemingly well in an underground dwelling. Just then, David Marcus pulls a surprise attack on Kirk, believing the Admiral to be the cause of all of the station's trouble. Carol is then forced to reveal that Kirk is David's father. Surprised and bewildered by the sudden turn of events, Kirk and David form an uneasy truce. Carol then shows Kirk and crew the Genesis torpedo.

Unbeknownst to Kirk and the rest of the group, Terrell, still under the influence of the Ceti eels, secretly gives Khan the coordinates of the torpedo. Khan quickly beams the valuable device aboard the Reliant, then orders Terrell to assassinate Kirk. Terrell, however, cannot bring himself to kill the Admiral. Instead, Terrell turns his phaser on himself. When Chekov also resists Khan's orders, the Ceti eel exits his ear and is subsequently destroyed. Khan, thinking he is stranding Kirk and his crew on the planet, departs Regula I. Carol Marcus then shows Kirk the Genesis cave, where an entire biosystem has been created. She explains that this amazing breakthrough means that barren planets can now be made safely habitable for colonists. Kirk, impressed but concerned for his crippled starship, regains contact with the Enterprise and has the landing party and scientists beamed aboard.

Meanwhile, a repaired Reliant under Khan's control obsessively searches for the U.S.S. Enterprise. Left without warp drive in the previous skirmish, the U.S.S. Enterprise hides in the Mutara Nebula. Kirk then deliberately goads Khan, hoping to throw the former tyrant off balance, while the rest of the crew searches for the Reliant in the static of the nebula cloud. Eventually, the U.S.S. Enterprise is successful in fatally disabling the other starship. But Khan, in his desperate hunger for revenge, arms the Genesis torpedo, knowing full well that both ships will be destroyed upon its detonation. With the Enterprise doomed without warp power, Spock suddenly enters the starship's radiation chamber to repair the warp drive. McCoy tries to stop the determined Vulcan, but Spock takes the upper hand and touches the doctor's forehead cryptically, murmuring "Remember." Just as the Genesis torpedo explodes, destroying Khan and the Reliant with it, the Enterprise zips into warp. The crew and ship have been spared, yet Spock, dying of severe radiation, has willingly given his own life.

With the Enterprise safely away, McCoy tells Kirk to come to the ship's engine room. There, a stunned Kirk must bid an emotional farewell to his dearest friend. Kirk need not mourn, says Spock, for his sacrifice was logical. "The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one" he tells his captain. Spock dies, but in contrast to a new birth -- the new living star and planet formed from the nebula and Genesis. A sullen and mournful funeral is held for Spock, and, accompanied by Scotty playing "Amazing Grace" on his bagpipes, Spock's coffin is sent to rest upon the new planet.

With Khan defeated, David Marcus finally makes peace with his father. Kirk and the U.S.S. Enterprise then go to Ceti Alpha V to pick up the abandoned Reliant crew, and the ship heads for Earth. Kirk, though saddened at the loss of his friend, is hopeful for the future, because as Spock once said, "there are always possibilities."

Cast:

Guest Cast:

Kirstie Alley as Saavik
Ricardo Montalban as Khan Noonian Singh
Bibi Besch as Dr. Carol Marcus
Merritt Butrick as Dr. David Marcus
Paul Winfield as Captain Terrell

Creative Staff:

Story By: Jack B. Sowards, Harve Bennett
Written By: Jack B. Sowards
Director: Nicholas Meyer

As the U.S.S. Enterprise returns to spacedock for repairs following the battle with Khan in 2285, Kirk continues to mourn Spock's death. McCoy suddenly enters the Vulcan's sealed quarters, babbling incoherently. Upon reaching Earth, McCoy is hospitalized. Scotty is reassigned to the U.S.S. Excelsior and the newly formed Genesis Planet is decreed off-limits by Starfleet Command. Kirk is then informed that the U.S.S. Enterprise is to be decommissioned.

In Kirk's quarters, Sarek, Spock's father, confronts the Admiral, saying that Spock's body should have been returned to Vulcan so that his katra could have been stored in an ancient Vulcan repository on Mount Seleya. Sarek tells Kirk that he must retrieve the coffin from the Genesis planet and, since Spock performed a last-minute Vulcan mind-meld with McCoy, thus transferring his "katra" or spirit, the doctor must also return to Vulcan.

However, Starfleet refuses to allow the antiquated U.S.S. Enterprise to leave spacedock. Released from the hospital and faced with this news, McCoy tries to hire a craft to go back to the Genesis planet. He then starts a brawl and is subsequently arrested, pending further psychiatric examination. The arrest proves futile, though, when McCoy escapes with the help of Kirk, Scott, Sulu, Uhura and Chekov. The crew then beams aboard the deserted U.S.S. Enterprise. To avoid pursuit, Scotty removes an integral engine part from the U.S.S. Excelsior and, knowing that they've all probably destroyed their careers, the six friends take the U.S.S. Enterprise out for one final voyage.

Meanwhile, the Klingons have learned of the new Genesis Device and planet, and fear that it could be a new Federation weapon. Lead by the treacherous Captain Kruge, the Klingons set out to either destroy or capture the valuable device.

On board the U.S.S. Grissom, David Marcus and Lt. Saavik arrive at the Genesis Planet for scientific observation. They quickly discover a lifeform reading coming from the surface. Intrigued, the two beam to the planet's surface to find Spock's empty coffin. Tracing the lifeform reading, the two then find the living body of a child-Spock, aging with erratic rapidity but lacking a consciousness or spirit.

Suddenly, the Klingons arrive, destroying the Grissom and taking Saavik, Marcus, and the young Spock prisoner. Shortly thereafter, the U.S.S. Enterprise arrives in the Mutara Sector and is crippled by Kruge and his Klingon cohorts. With the Klingons threatening the lives of their prisoners, Kirk tries a bluff to regain control of the situation, but is unsuccessful. David Marcus is killed by the Klingon landing party. Faced with no other choice, Kirk surrenders the U.S.S. Enterprise to the Klingons, yet in a last-ditch effort to gain the upper hand, activates the starship's self-destruct mechanism. The small U.S.S. Enterprise crew then beams to the surface of the Genesis Planet, watching as their historic starship is destroyed in a streak of light, taking with it most of Kruge's nefarious crew.

Kirk and party rescue Spock and Saavik from the Klingons and learn that an unstable element used in the Genesis Device threatens the stability of the planet, which is likely to explode within minutes. One factor of this instability, however, is the rejuvenating effect it had on Spock's body. With the planet reaching critical mass, Spock finally achieves the age he was just before his death on the U.S.S. Enterprise. Kruge, still alive on the Klingon Bird-of-Prey and angry at the death of his comrades, beams down to the planet. There, he fights one-on-one with Kirk, eventually falling to his death. The U.S.S. Enterprise crew, Saavik, and Spock then escape in the Bird-of-Prey, just as the planet violently explodes, a victim of its own dangerous growth.

Under Sarek's diplomatic protection, the Klingon ship then speeds to Vulcan. Once there, the risky ceremony fal-tor-pan is performed, fusing Spock's katra, which resides in McCoy's mind, with the Vulcan's body. With the ceremony seemingly successful, a revived Spock begins the long journey of remembering his past and his friends. He questions why the Enterprise crew risked their lives and careers to rescue him. As his friend Jim reminds him, sometimes the "needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many."

Cast:

Guest Cast:

Robin Curtis as Lt. Saavik
Merritt Butrick as David Marcus
Scott McGinnis as Mr. Adventure
Robert Hooks as Commander Morrow
Christopher Lloyd as Lord Kruge
John Larroquette as Klingon Officer Maltz

Creative Staff:

Written By: Harve Bennett
Director: Leonard Nimoy

In 2286, Kirk and company wait in self-imposed exile on Vulcan, monitoring Spock's progress as he remembers his past. On Earth, the Federation Council is urged by the Klingon Ambassador to produce Kirk for trial for his actions against the Klingons on the Genesis Planet. Ambassador Sarek denies the request to permit Kirk's extradition from Vulcan and defends Kirk before the Council. The council agrees, yet demands Kirk return to Earth to face his violation of nine Starfleet regulations. Caught between two different sides, Kirk finally decides to take the Klingon Bird-of-Prey to Earth to face the Council's charges. Spock, still suffering slightly from his fal-tor-pan, decides he must accompany his captain.

The crew arrives to find Earth in turmoil, threatened by a deep space probe that has drained all power and is vaporizing the oceans, producing a worldwide cloud cover which begins to block the sun. Because of the enormous storms ravaging the entire planet, Starfleet warns all approaching spacecraft to keep their distance.

Spock manages to identify the probe's unusual communication, which turns out to be a transmission to long-extinct humpback whales. When the probe's signal is not answered, it increases its output, causing more clouds and even more storms. Kirk and crew, orbiting the doomed planet, decide that the only way to save Earth is to time-travel back to the twentieth century, when whales still existed, and return to the present with a pair of the mammals. With any luck, then the probe's signal might be answered and Earth spared.

The crew, still piloting the Bird-of-Prey, use the slingshot effect to travel back in time. They pick up whale songs emanating from the West Coast of North America. They land the Klingon warbird in a San Francisco park, where thanks to its cloaking device, the ship is concealed from view. However, the time traveling damaged the ship's valuable dilithium crystals. The small crew then splits up, with Uhura and Chekov assigned to locate an atomic reactor for photons to recharge the ship's power, and McCoy, Scotty and Sulu ordered to create a tank in the cargo bay that will safely house a pair of whales.

Kirk and Spock, after a humorous trip through twentieth century San Francisco, locate Dr. Gillian Taylor and her mated pair of whales, George and Gracie. Due to cut-backs at the Maritime Cetacean Institute, where the whales are on exhibit, they are due to be released in the sea. Once there, Taylor fears the pair will be in danger from whale hunters. When Spock performs a Vulcan mind-meld with the whales, he learns that Gracie is pregnant. Kirk tries to convince the doctor that he's from the future and that Starfleet will take good care of her whales, but Taylor is, understandably, incredulous. Meanwhile, Chekov and Uhura have located enough photons from a reactor to complete their mission -- from the U.S.S. Enterprise CVN 65 aircraft carrier, no less. Scotty, however, can't beam both crew members back at once. Faced with a decision, Chekov sends Uhura up with the needed photon collector. Chekov is then captured and questioned by FBI agents. The Russian escapes, is chased by Marines, and eventually falls and ends up hospitalized, in critical condition.

McCoy and Scotty have concurrently arranged a trade for a large piece of Plexiglas to build a whale tank on board the Klingon ship.

Kirk finally is able to convince Gillian Taylor to help him, first in retrieving Chekov, then the whales. Joined by McCoy, the three pull off a wild rescue, springing Chekov from the hospital. With twenty-third century medical technology, McCoy is able to quickly repair Chekov's otherwise fatal condition. Kirk says goodbye to Gillian, assuring her that her whales will be safe and, what's more, will be saving the entire planet in the future. At the last second of Kirk's transport, she throws her arms around him, transporting herself to ship along with the captain.

Using the radio frequency provided by Gillian, the crew locate the whales, now at sea. Just as they are about to transport George and Gracie on board the Klingon ship, a whaler ship comes into view, threatening the two mammals. The future of Earth at stake, the Bird-of-Prey valiantly fights off the whaler and beams up the whales, along with tons of water, to the prepared tank in their cargo bay.

Off the planet and en route to the Sun for the time-traveling slingshot maneuver, Spock makes his calculations and the ship is propelled to the twenty-third century. Arriving at Earth, the ship is rendered powerless by the probe and crash-lands in San Francisco Bay. Kirk then releases the whales and they answer the probe. Apparently satisfied, the probe retreats back into deep space once more.

With Earth safe and the storms gone, Kirk and his crew are brought before the Federation Council to be reprimanded for stealing and destroying the U.S.S. Enterprise in the rescue of Spock. Although Kirk disobeyed direct orders and violated numerous Federation laws, the Council praises the Admiral and his crew for saving Earth. And even though Kirk is "demoted" to Captain, he is given the only job he ever wanted -- the command of a starship. And the ship he is given? A new U.S.S. Enterprise, registry NCC-1701-A.

Cast:

Guest Cast:

Jane Wyatt as Amanda
Mark Lenard as Sarek
Catherine Hicks as Dr. Gillian Taylor
Robert Ellenstein as Federation Council Pres.
John Schuck as Klingon Ambassador
Majel Barrett as Cmdr. Christine Chapel

Creative Staff:

Screen Play By: Harve Bennett, Steve Meerson, Peter Krikes, Nicholas Meyer
Written By: Leonard Nimoy, Harve Bennett
Director: Leonard Nimoy

In 2287, Kirk, Spock and McCoy are enjoying shore leave on Earth at Yosemite National Park when suddenly their vacation is interrupted by an emergency call to duty by Starfleet Command. Kirk and his friends learn that the Klingon General Korrd, Romulan Caithlin Dar and Federation counsel St. John Talbot are being held hostage on the planet Nimbus III, the planet of galactic peace. The new U.S.S. Enterprise 1701-A warps to investigate the situation.

Meanwhile, on a nearby Klingon Bird-of-Prey, Captain Klaa learns of the mission of the U.S.S. Enterprise and the hated Kirk and sees an opportunity for advancement in the Klingon ranks. In an effort to intercept the U.S.S. Enterprise, he orders the ship to Nimbus III.

The U.S.S. Enterprise is the first to arrive at Nimbus III and Kirk sends a shuttlecraft and landing party to the planet's only town. It is soon discovered that the town is held by a band of scruffy colonists led by a telepathic insane Vulcan, Sybok. In addition, the team learns that the hostage situation was just an elaborate ruse to obtain a Federation starship. Sybok believes that his destiny, the discovery of Sha Ka Ree, meaning "heaven" in Vulcan, has finally been fulfilled, but he needs a starship for transportation. Sybok forces the shuttlecraft to take his people to the U.S.S. Enterprise, where he fights with Kirk for control. Strangely, Spock has the opportunity to kill the insane Vulcan, yet he doesn't. Forced to explain his actions, Spock reveals that Sybok is his half-brother, exiled from Vulcan for choosing emotion over logic. Family relations aside, Kirk and the rest of the crew are thrown in the starship's brig.

Scotty finally helps Kirk, Spock and McCoy escape from the brig and sends an urgent message to Starfleet. Yet the message is intercepted by Vixis, Klaa's first officer.

In an effort to gain valuable followers, Sybok uses his powers to reveal to McCoy and Spock their inner-most pain, then helps each "heal." Kirk, however, refuses to allow the Vulcan to use his telepathic powers. Sybok is angered, yet he knows that he needs Kirk to pilot the U.S.S. Enterprise to "Sha Ka Ree," and thus a reluctant truce is declared.

The Enterprise sets course for the center of the galaxy, a mythical planet bound by an energy field -- the Great Barrier. Sybok and the captured crew are successful in penetrating the barrier, and find a small blue planet. Sybok takes a landing party to the planet's surface, where he suddenly calls out to God. In a blinding flash of light, an entity appears, questioning him about the U.S.S. Enterprise. When Kirk asks why a god would need to ask such mundane questions, he is stricken down with bolts of electricity. McCoy brusquely tells Sybok that he has trouble believing in a god who enjoys inflicting pain. This seems to affect Sybok, and the Vulcan slowly begins to doubt his own quest. Afraid that the entity might be let loose in the galaxy, Sybok tries to use his telepathic powers to make the creature realize its own pain. The two grapple and mysteriously disappear underground. Convinced that the entity must be destroyed at all costs, Kirk orders a photon torpedo be fired at the planet. The U.S.S. Enterprise transporter can only bring up two crewmen at a time, so Kirk sends McCoy and Spock. With Kirk left all alone on the planet's surface, the enraged being suddenly appears and tries to destroy the Captain for ruining its plans of escape, via the starship, and subsequent galactic conquest.

Just then, Captain Klaa's ship arrives and uncloaks to fire on the U.S.S. Enterprise. Spock demands that the first officer, General Korrd, pull rank and beam Kirk up to the Klingon warbird and fire upon the mysterious being. Spock transfers with Korrd to the Klingon ship in order to insure that his "suggestion" is carried out.

With Kirk saved and the evil entity destroyed, there is a reception on board the U.S.S. Enterprise to celebrate this unusual Klingon-Starfleet cooperation. Scotty and Korrd enjoy drinks while Klingons cautiously mingle with U.S.S. Enterprise crew. McCoy suggests that the Great Barrier is in place to keep the entity boxed in, not to keep others out, which implies an even greater being at work.

Having saved the galaxy yet again, the three officers return to their interrupted vacation at Yosemite.

Cast:

Guest Cast:

Laurence Luckinbill as Sybok
David Warner as St. John Talbot
Charles Cooper as General Korrd
Todd Bryant as Captain Klaa
George Murdock as God Entity
Melanie Shatner as Yeoman
Harve Bennett as Starfleet Chief of Staff

Creative Staff:

Screen Play By: David Loughery
Written By: William Shatner, Harve Bennett, David Loughery
Director: William Shatner

Following the violent explosion of an energy production facility on the Klingon moon of Praxis, the collapse of the Klingon Empire is considered imminent. In 2293, the United Federation of Planets decides that this is the opportunity to finally negotiate a true, lasting peace with the Klingons. Chancellor Gorkon, the leader of the Klingon High Council, immediately heads towards Federation space for the proposed peace conference.

Captain Spock suggests that the U.S.S. Enterprise be Gorkon's escort, forcing Kirk, who still harbors deep resentment for the brutal death of his son at the hands of the Klingons, to meet the Chancellor's ship. The two ships rendezvous peacefully and are proceeding towards the conference when the U.S.S. Enterprise suddenly appears to fire on the Klingon ship; Federation-uniformed men beam to the ship and mortally wound Gorkon. After beaming over to the Klingon ship with Kirk to lend assistance, Doctor McCoy is unable to save Gorkon's life. McCoy is arrested, along with Kirk, for the murder. After a quick trial before the Klingon High Council, the two men are sentenced to imprisonment on a Klingon penal colony. Unknown to the Klingons, however, is that prior to Kirk's beam-out from the Enterprise, a quick thinking Spock surreptitiously attached a homing patch to the back of Kirk's uniform.

On Rura Penthe, the ice-cold Klingon penal planet, Kirk and McCoy meet a Chameloid, Martia, who approaches the pair with an escape plan. The proposed plan, however, turns out to be an elaborate ruse designed to lure Kirk and McCoy into the open, where they can be killed as escapees.

Arriving in the nick of time, the U.S.S. Enterprise tracks Kirk's homing signal and rescues the two officers just before they are killed by the colony's nefarious prison warden. Safely aboard, Kirk and McCoy decide to avoid contact with Starfleet while they work to figure out what happened to the Klingon Chancellor's ship and to identity Gorkon's true killer. They are assisted in this investigation by Captain Hikaru Sulu, commander of the U.S.S. Excelsior.

Meanwhile, Gorkon's daughter, Azetbur, works to continue her father's plan of peace with the Federation, putting her life in serious danger. Learning of this, Kirk and Spock become convinced that there is an organized conspiracy behind the assassination intended to prevent the peace. They set a trap for the suspected conspirators on the U.S.S. Enterprise. Ultimately, Lieutenant Valeris, a promising young Vulcan protege of Spock's is revealed to be one of the leaders of the dissident movement. When Spock performs a Vulcan mind-meld with Valeris, he finds that both Federation and Klingon conspirators are in league against the proposed peace.

The Federation ships proceed to the location of the conference, at Khitomer, but before landing parties are able to beam down both the U.S.S. Enterprise and the U.S.S. Excelsior are attacked by an invisible vessel -- one capable of firing while remaining cloaked. The audio transmissions of the vessel identify it as Klingon General Chang's Bird-of-Prey, an unknown prototype. Faced with an unstoppable new form of technology, the two starships sustain considerable damage. Racing against time, equipment on the U.S.S. Enterprise usually used for studying gaseous anomalies is fitted into a photon torpedo. Using some new technology of their own, the U.S.S. Enterprise tracks the cloaked Bird-of-Prey and destroys it.

With the orbiting Klingon threat gone and Valeris apprehended, the U.S.S. Enterprise crew arrives at the peace talks just in time to prevent the planned assassination of the President of the United Federation of Planets. The conference continues, and the first steps are taken towards peace between the Klingon Empire and the Federation.

The U.S.S. Enterprise is recalled by Starfleet Command for decommissioning, but Kirk, in typical fashion, indulges himself and takes the ship out for one last voyage before passing the baton to a new generation of explorers destined "to boldly go where no one has gone before."

Cast:

Guest Cast:

Christopher Plummer as General Chang
John Schuck as Klingon Ambassador
Kim Cattrall as Lt. Valeris
Mark Lenard as Ambassador Sarek
Grace Lee Whitney as Excelsior comm.
Brock Peters as Admiral Cartwright
David Warner as Chancellor Gorkon

Creative Staff:

Screen Play By: Nicholas Meyer, Denny Martin Flinn
Written By: Leonard Nimoy, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal
Director: Nicholas Meyer

A Champagne bottle tumbles through space, slowly drifting towards its intended target, the new Starship Enterprise, NCC-1701-B. It is late in the 23rd century, and the inauguration of the vessel is attended by crew from the former starship of the same name -- James Kirk, Montgomery Scott and Pavel Chekov. Reporters and onlookers clamor to interview Kirk and the new U.S.S. Enterprise captain about commanding a starship, as the crew begins to embark on its routine maiden voyage. A short time into the flight, however, the starship receives a distress call and is diverted to aid two El-Aurian transport vessels which are caught in a strange, mysterious energy ribbon. Kirk, falling back on his old instincts, quickly finds that not only is the new captain inexperienced, but most of the ship's vital weapons and functions have not yet been installed. While Kirk, Scott and Chekov struggle to save the ship, the transporter room beams aboard survivors, even as their El-Aurian transport vessels are torn apart by the energy ribbon.

Kirk goes below deck to work on the deflector relays, but the ribbon suddenly strikes the starship, tearing a large gash through the hull and leaving only debris where Kirk was working. Scotty and Chekov stare out into space, bewildered by the sudden loss of their friend.

78 years later, in 2371, the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-D join together on the holodeck for a ceremony to promote Lt. Worf -- a Klingon officer -- to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. The ceremony is conducted using a 19th Century sailing ship and corresponding uniforms. The merriment is suddenly interrupted, however, when Picard receives an urgent personal message. Suddenly depressed, Picard leaves the festivities to contemplate in privacy.

Meanwhile, officers Geordi La Forge and Data successfully install an emotion chip designed by Data's creator, Doctor Noonien Soong, into the android. Although La Forge questions the wisdom of the installation as a potentially painful step in the growth of his friend, Data ignores him. After installing the chip, Data quickly discovers the vast array of emotions now available to him and believes he has the necessary skills to integrate them into his programming.

Sent to the Armagosa Solar Observatory to investigate a distress call, the U.S.S. Enterprise finds two dead Romulans and five humans left alive after a mysterious and brutal attack. One of these survivors is a Doctor Tolian Soran. Data and La Forge later return to the starship's laboratory and find traces of a volatile explosive which Soran has secretly concealed in the lab. While Data watches in abject terror, Soran kidnaps La Forge, taking him to a cloaked Klingon ship. When questioning La Forge proves unsuccessful, Soran releases the starship officer -- after modifying his VISOR to transmit its signals back to the Klingon vessel.

Soran then fires a trilithium probe into the sun, which causes an incredible shock wave. The Klingon ship, on which he is a passenger, is commanded by the Klingon Duras sisters. In exchange for the formula for Soran's trilithium explosive, they have agreed to take him to the planet Veridian III, where he wants to conduct another solar implosion.

On board the U.S.S. Enterprise, Picard learns that Soran is 300 years old and, like Guinan, a survivor of the El-Aurian incident that killed Captain Kirk. In an effort to understand what is happening, Picard finally goes to Guinan. She tells him that the energy ribbon, called the Nexus, is a temporal anomaly moving through space. To anyone or anything inside the Nexus, linear time has no meaning and a person can experience anything that he or she desires. There is an overpowering feeling of joy so addictive, that once there, no one wants to leave. Soran is desperate to return to the Nexus and recreate that joy with the family he lost when his world was assimilated by the Borg.

Picard, still depressed from his previous message, informs Troi of his family lineage and that he never intended to have any children because his brother had children who would carry on the Picard name. However, according to the message he received, his brother and nephew were killed in a fire on Earth. Therefore, Jean-Luc will now be the last Picard.

In Stellar Cartography, Picard and an emotionally troubled Data plot the course of the Nexus and the changes that have occurred since the sun was destroyed. They conclude that Soran plans to destroy another sun when the Nexus passes close to the Veridian system -- killing as many as two hundred and thirty million inhabitants on one of the system's planets. Destroying the suns alters spacial forces, thereby changing the path of the Nexus. With the Veridian sun destroyed, the Nexus will then pass along the surface of Veridian III, allowing Soran to re-enter.

Picard, learning of the situation, beams down to Veridian III to try to dissuade Soran. In the meantime, La Forge has been returned to the U.S.S. Enterprise in exchange for Picard; the Duras sisters watch with great interest as La Forge moves about the ship. Finally they see what they've been waiting for -- the U.S.S. Enterprise deflector shield modulation. Seizing this information, the cloaked Bird-of-Prey fires through the starship's deflector shields, severely damaging the U.S.S. Enterprise. Ultimately, however, the U.S.S. Enterprise succeeds in destroying the Klingon warbird, killing all aboard. Unfortunately Soran has already beamed down to the planet Veridian III.

Due to damage sustained by the Klingon's attack, the U.S.S. Enterprise suffers a warp-core breach and Riker orders the saucer section separated. Before he can get the saucer away safely, however, the battle section explodes, hurtling the saucer and its entire crew toward the surface of Veridian III. After a terrifying ride, the U.S.S. Enterprise saucer crash lands on the planet's surface. Fortunately, most of the crew are uninjured.

Elsewhere on the planet's surface, Picard and Soran fight to the death as the Nexus rapidly approaches. Soran manages to fire his trilithium probe into the sun, destroying it as the ribbon engulfs both men, taking them inside the Nexus. In their wake, the inhabitants of the Veridian system, as well as the survivors from the U.S.S. Enterprise, are engulfed in a giant cloud of fire.

For a time, Picard is bewildered but delighted to be spending Christmas with his large, happy family -- a family he's never had the time to start. But then, just as the captain gazes at a sparkling ornament, he is suddenly reminded that this experience is not real and that he must get on with his mission. Picard remembers that Guinan had told him he would find someone in the Nexus to help him defeat Soran. Just then, an "echo" of Guinan appears, telling Picard that he can have anything he wants in the Nexus, but that he can also leave -- and he can leave prior to when he came. There might still be time to stop Soran's destruction, but Picard believes he needs help if he's to be successful.

With Guinan's help, Picard finds a slightly puzzled but happy James T. Kirk in the Nexus. Kirk wasn't killed 78 years earlier on the U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-B, but was drawn into the Nexus instead. Picard meets a content Kirk who is now a happy farmer in Iowa, complete with his life's loves -- "Antonia" and his horses. Picard is successful in convincing Kirk of the spurious nature of the Nexus realities, and he awakens Kirk's taste for adventure, duty, and the chance to "make a difference again." The two U.S.S. Enterprise captains leave the Nexus and materialize on Veridian III, just as Soran is preparing to set off his solar bomb. This time, Kirk grapples with Soran while Picard races to sabotages the probe.

Although Kirk wins the fight, knocking Soran off the edge of the cliff, the diabolical doctor manages to cloak the launch mechanism before Picard can disarm it. Yet Soran, hanging on for dear life at the end of a rope, loses control of the remote after the line suddenly gives. The remote control is thrown into the air, landing on a nearby bridge. Kirk races to recover the remote, as does Soran, who fires on Kirk and the bridge with his deadly disruptor. Although Kirk is saved in the nick of time by Picard, the bridge is broken in two, with the remote resting on the opposite portion across the void.

Picard urges Kirk to accept his help, yet Kirk, stubborn as always, goes after the remote himself. With the second half of the bridge about to give, Kirk jumps to the other side, escaping certain death by seconds. Just as the remote is about to fall into the chasm, Kirk miraculously grabs it out of thin air. With time running out and the Nexus fast approaching, Kirk decloaks the launch mechanism. Suddenly the second half of the bridge collapses into the chasm, carrying Kirk with it.

Picard, now able to see the mechanism, races to the controls. Yet his plans are seemingly cut short when Soran, frantic that he might miss his last chance at gaining access to the Nexus, aims his disruptor directly at the captain. Although Picard escapes, capitalizing on Soran's distraction, the evil doctor doesn't care. His moment of triumph is at hand. Soran's smile slowly fades, however, when he realizes that Picard has secured the missile's locking clamps; although about to ignite, the rocket will not launch.

The launch mechanism explodes into a giant fireball, killing Soran and preventing the destruction of the entire Veridian system. Picard runs to Kirk, where he stays until the former captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise dies. "It was fun...oh my." are Kirk's last words. After Picard has buried and mourned the loss of his new friend, a shuttlecraft from the U.S.S. Enterprise finds Picard and takes him to the ship's crash site where survivors are being rescued by the U.S.S. Farragut.

Believing he has finally mastered human emotions, Data finds himself wrong when he and Counselor Troi manage to find the android's cat in the U.S.S. Enterprise wreckage. Data, bewildered, is overcome with tears of joy. Riker is saddened as they leave the wrecked starship, but Picard assures him that this is not likely to be the last ship named "Enterprise."

Cast:

Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard™
Jonathan Frakes as William Thomas Riker™
Brent Spiner as Data™
LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge™
Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher™
Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi™
William Shatner as James Tiberius Kirk™

Guest Cast:

James Doohan as Captain Montgomery Scott
Walter Koenig as Commander Pavel Chekov
Malcolm McDowell as Dr. Tolian Soran
Alan Ruck as Capt. Harriman
Jacqueline Kim as Helmsman Demora Sulu
Tim Russ as Lieutenant
Majel Barrett as Computer voice

Creative Staff:

Story By: Rick Berman, Ronald D. Moore, Brannon Braga
Screen Play By: Ronald D. Moore, Brannon Braga
Director: David Carson

Captain Jean-Luc Picard awakens from a nightmare about his Borg assimilation experience to an incoming message from Admiral Hayes. Hayes informs Picard that Deep Space Five reported that a colony has been destroyed. Completing the Admiral's sentence, Picard realizes who destroyed the colony -- the Borg.

Picard calls a meeting and informs his senior officers that their ship has been instructed to patrol the Neutral Zone. Their orders are to protect the area from any possible Romulan uprising during a Borg attack. Despite protests from his officers, Picard remains faithful to his orders and the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC 1701-E begins to patrol the area. Later, Picard regretfully tells Riker that it is his own fault they are stuck in the Neutral Zone. Starfleet believes Picard to be too emotionally involved with the Borg because of his previous assimilation to tactically complete a mission against them.

The men return to the bridge to learn that Starfleet has engaged in combat with the Borg. Intercepting messages between the starships, the crew learns that the Federation is losing. Picard, with his Borg experience, knows he can help the fleet. He informs his staff that he will make a decision directly in opposition to Starfleet commands. With no objections from his crew, Captain Picard gives the order and the starship Enterprise sets a course for Earth and the attacking Borg cube.

A massive battle ensues and it appears that the Federation will lose the fight. Despite serious structural damage to the Borg cube, their strength does not weaken. Even the U.S.S. Defiant, commanded by Worf, does not appear to be able to turn the tides of the battle. As the starship Defiant is about to ram the Borg ship on a suicide run, the U.S.S. Enterprise beams aboard its crew, including Worf. Picard, having an inside perspective of the Borg and their vessel, focuses the firepower of the fleet on coordinates he knows to be critical. Just as the main ship is destroyed, a spherical escape pod flies out. The sphere creates a temporal vortex, catching the starship Enterprise in its wake. Immune to the paradoxes created by the time travel, the starship's crew learns that Earth at the present time appears to be inhabited entirely by the Borg. The commanding officers realize that the Borg have gone into the past and assimilated Earth, so they follow them back in time to repair the damage the Borg have done.

On Earth, over three centuries earlier, a somber Lily Sloane accompanies a stumbling, drunk Zephram Cochran out of a bar after a night of revelry. Then, Lily notices a fast moving light. She hardly has time to ask what the object is, when the Borg vessel attacks. Back aboard the Starship Enterprise, Picard demands that Data tell him the exact date and location the Borg ship is attacking. The location: central Montana. The date: April 4, 2063 -- the day before first contact. Realizing that the Borg have come to prevent first contact between alien life forms and humans, the crew knows they must stop the Borg and facilitate this exchange. They destroy the Borg sphere, and Dr. Crusher, Captain Picard, Commander Data, Commander Riker, Counselor Troi and other U.S.S. Enterprise crew transport down to Earth to survey the damage.

At the Borg attack site in Montana, the crew finds destruction and chaos. They split into groups to search for Cochran. Data and Picard hunt for Cochran's warp ship, the Phoenix. There they encounter a very angry and confused Lily, who believes Data and Picard to be members of a coalition that broke the cease-fire after World War III. She shoots at them in a rage, but impervious to bullets, Data approaches Lily. Overcome by fear and radiation, she falls to the ground. Dr. Crusher diagnoses Lily with radiation sickness caused by the damaged Phoenix, and inoculates the entire crew. Against Picard's better judgment, Crusher takes Lily to sickbay. Geordi is called to help repair the warp vessel and Picard becomes intrigued by its historical significance. In this vessel began the future as the world would know it, and the past as Picard remembers it. He reaches out to touch the ship. Data, curious about the human need for tactile reinforcement, attempts to create the same feelings he observes in Picard, but is unsuccessful in duplicating this aspect of humanity.

Aboard the ship, two crewmembers are sent to examine unexplained maintenance problems, and both disappear. Picard is called to the ship and discovers that the survivors from the Borg sphere have transported onto the ship and are taking over Deck 16. While Picard arranges teams to fight them, the Borg manipulate the climate of the deck to suit their needs and begin to spread throughout the ship. When the Borg attack sickbay, Crusher, her staff, and Lily escape through a Jeffries tube, thanks to a distraction by the ship's Emergency Medical Hologram. While Crusher leads the group down the passageway, Lily steals away in a different direction.

On Earth, Riker finds Troi and Cochran drunk in a bar. Troi justifies that the only way she could get Cochran to talk to her was by shooting Tequila with him. Denying her drunken state, Troi offers her professional opinion on Cochran. She explains, "He's nuts."

Picard and his team are tracking the Borg through the starship. As Crusher and her staff find Worf's team, Picard's team encounters the Borg, who have begun to assimilate U.S.S. Enterprise crewmembers. Worf's team engages the Borg in combat, but the enemies adapt to the crew's weapons too quickly to make any difference. The teams are ordered to regroup on Deck 15, but Data is captured. Picard cannot save him, so he quickly crawls into a Jeffries tube to escape. Face to face with Picard, Lily steals his phaser and demands an explanation and escape route. Picard agrees.

Geordi shows Cochran the starship Enterprise through a large telescope on Earth and tries to convince him to launch his vessel the next morning. Geordi glorifies Cochran by explaining that his ship will make first contact with alien life forms. Humanity will be saved if Cochran launches his ship. Still drunk, Cochran agrees.

Aboard the ship, The Borg Queen introduces herself to a bound Data, claiming that she is the Collective. Reactivating Data's emotion chip, the Borg begin to graph organic, human skin onto the android's arm. As Data is overcome by this new human sensation of touch, something he never thought possible, the Borg continue their work.

Lily and Picard wander through the service deck as the captain attempts to explain what has happened between Lily's time and his own. She begins to calm down until they suddenly run into a Borg-infested area. Quickly escaping in the Holodeck, Picard activates a Dixon Hill program. At a dance, he and Lily try to blend in without being noticed by the Borg. Following the Holodeck's story, Picard searches for Nicky the Nose and takes his machine gun. Killing the Borg with the gun, Picard retrieves the memory chip that contains all of the information the Borg has received. Lily then notices that the two dead Borg were once crewmembers of the Starship Enterprise.

Back on Earth, Cochran keeps hearing what an amazing historical figure he is and begins to question whether or not he wants to go through with the launch. He doubts his own nobility and flees the launch site. Geordi and Riker attempt to catch up with Cochran in the woods and are forced to stun him with a phaser to return him to the Phoenix.

Lily and Picard join the rest of the surviving crew and discover that the Borg are outside of the ship. The retrieved memory chip reveals that they are reconfiguring the main deflector in order to contact the Borg of this century, calling them to Earth to assimilate the planet. Picard, Worf and Lieutenant Hawk put on space suits and venture onto the surface of the starship to stop the Borg.

Aware of Data's desire to become human, the Borg Queen offers him the chance to be entirely covered in human flesh and join the Borg, in an attempt to get the encryption codes from Data so she can obtain total control over the U.S.S. Enterprise. Outside the Starship Enterprise, Hawk, Worf and Picard attempt to unlock the deflector dish. Attacked by a Borg, Worf's suit begins to depressurize. Two Borg are killed and Hawk is attacked. As the dish is released, a now-assimilated Hawk attempts to kill Picard. Worf saves the captain, but Hawk is killed. Picard and Worf then destroy the free-floating deflector dish.

On Earth, Cochran explains to Riker that his only motivation for inventing warp travel was money. He never expected to save mankind, become a hero, or be instrumental in the founding of a new civilization. He simply wanted to retire in peace.

An argument ensues aboard the starship Enterprise as the majority of the senior officers believe that they should evacuate the ship, destroying it and the Borg. Picard won't give up, and insists they stay. Challenged by Worf, Picard orders him off the Bridge. Lily follows Picard into his ready room and demands that he explain his obsession with fighting the Borg. Picard declares he won't sacrifice the starship, and swears to finally make the Borg pay for all they've done. Lily quietly and calmly compares Picard to Captain Ahab, forever fighting his white wale -- the Borg. Realizing that this fight could only destroy himself and his crew, Picard decides to evacuate the ship. Worf, Picard and Crusher activate the ship's self-destruct sequence. The countdown begins, and the crew leaves in escape pods. Picard surveys his ship and prepares to leave when he hears Data calling him.

Meanwhile , the earth-bound crew and Cochran begin takeoff. Cochran, Geordi and Riker take off in the Phoenix, and with music blaring, the three men launch successfully into orbit.

On the ship, Lily and Picard say good-bye and the captain goes to save Data. Entering Engineering, Picard confronts the Borg Queen, whom he knows from his experience with the Borg. The queen reminds Picard that it was not enough that he was assimilated, but that he needed to give himself freely to the Borg. -- she wished him to stand by her side as an equal to further the power of the Collective. Picard offers himself in exchange for Data, but the android does not comply. He refuses to leave, and at the queen's command, disarms the self-destruct sequence. He quickly enters the encryption codes, offering full control of the starship Enterprise to the Borg.

As Cochran's ship nears warp, Data arms the U.S.S Enterprise's weapons and aims them at the defenseless Phoenix. At the Borg Queen's order, Data fires, but the missiles fail to hit the Phoenix. His deception of the Borg complete, Data smashes a conduit, releasing a gas that floods engineering, killing all organic material. As the Borg are destroyed, Picard climbs to safety and the Borg Queen falls into the deadly gas. With the Borg threat gone, Cochran safely completes humanity's first warp flight.

Celebrating the flight back on Earth that night, Cochran and the starship Enterprise's crew see an alien ship land nearby. The doors open, and Zephram Cochran makes Earth's first contact with an alien race -- the Vulcans. Picard and his crew beam out, having witnessed this historic event, and the U.S.S Enterprise NCC 1701-E returns to the 24th century.

Cast:

Guest Cast:

Alfre Woodard as Lily
James Cromwell as Zephram Cochran
Alice Krige as Borg Queen

Creative Staff:

Story By: Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore
Screen Play By: Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore
Director: Jonathan Frakes

Joyful scene, tall grass blowing, children playing in the grass. One of the children is ARTIM, the son of SOJEF, one of the leaders of the people called the Ba'ku. Now, the camera "booms up" to reveal a breathtaking view of a rural community built along a sparkling lake, mountains in the background, livestock grazing. ANIJ, a beautiful woman in her late thirties, walks to an outdoor market at the edge of the village. Sojef is there. Just then, we change to a new angle on Anij . . . One from BEHIND the rockface behind the village. None of the Ba'ku are aware, as we pull back, that not only are they being watched from behind a "duck blind," but we see through the duck blind's window that there are mysterious figures in isolation suits walking among them unseen. A gallery of Starfleet officers and Son'a representatives are the spectators . . . Sort of like sportscasters at a ballpark, working at their posts.

The Son'a are humanoid, but their faces are freaky-looking--stretched like rubberbands about to snap, they look like victims of too many facelifts. GALLATIN, a Son'a in his sixties, is about to relay a message to the Starfleet Admiral in command, when a weapons blast echoes through the hills--the observers and the Ba'ku react . . . broken messages from one of the field operatives mention something about an android. Gallatin moves to the window and sees the source of the commotion . . . in the distance, a figure in an isolation suit is running out of the foothills. Two other cloaked figures are after him, firing weapons--Ba'ku children are all around but can't see them, just the bolts of plasma coming out of nowhere. The kids panic and run to the village. Gallatin orders his men to hold their fire, as Starfleet Lieutenant CURTIS in the duckblind tries to communicate with Data. In reply, Data is muttering incoherently (a systems report on himself) . . . he's disoriented, stumbling about. He starts pulling at his headgear; Gallatin orders his men to intercept but Data tosses them aside with ease. The Ba'ku people are greeting their children back, happy they're safe . . . when Artim turns to see the floating head of Data decloaking in midair . . . the boy yells, the Ba'ku scatter, Sojef yanking Artim to safety. We see a wound on Data's neck as he keeps fighting unseen forces--a ripping crunch as a Son'a man partially decloaks and is slammed to the ground. Data strips off the rest of his suit as he slams invisible men into the market stands . . . he picks up a weapon from the unconscious Son'a, aims it at the rockface--the people behind the duck-blind dive for cover, but Data doesn't fire at them--but at the generators, disabling the holoemitters, revealing the duckblind, causing all the isolation suits to decloak. The Ba'ku are in shock, as Data stands alone, satisfied with his mysterious work.

Jean-Luc Picard, in his quarters, is being helped into a dress uniform (and its rather tight collar) by Beverly Crusher, as Troi is briefing him from a PADD. One matter of importance is an alien greeting Picard must master, "yaw-cheen chef-faw." New uniform, or a new neck, is what Picard needs, Crusher remarks . . . Although Picard insists that his collar size is the same as it was in the Academy. "Sure it is. And your hair is still chestnut brown," Crusher says dryly. More Enterprise family fun as Riker comes in and leads the group out the door through the corridor. Ensign PERIM, the young Trill helmswoman of the Enterprise-E, reminds Picard that the Enterprise is to mediate a territorial dispute in the Eikon system, though this means that Picard's going to miss out on an archaeological expedition to the Oklast system (the Diplomatic Corps, which would have been assigned to do the mediating, is busy with negotiations with the Dominion).

The big to-do, we find out, is a ceremony making a certain planet an official Federation protectorate. Picard bumps into Worf--he was installing a defense perimeter at a planet in a nearby sector, and dropped in to visit. "How's your bride?" "A challenge." "The greatest compliment a Klingon can pay his wife." LaForge relays a message to Riker that doesn't quite reach Picard yet . . . it's from Admiral Dougherty, about Data.

In a banquet room, Picard meets Regent CUZAR and representatives of her race of extremely short aliens as they do their traditional alien welcome stuff. As Picard turns to Troi to wonder how, with such an awkward height difference, he's supposed to dance with Cuzar later ("Her head will be in my . . . "), LaForge interrupts, in person, with Dougherty's message . . . Dougherty's aboard a Son'a ship in Sector 316, requesting Data's schematics. Troi and Picard are concerned . . . Picard goes to an anteroom to the banquet hall, where Geordi's set up a secured comlink. Here we first see Admiral MATTHEW DOUGHERTY, pushing 70, confident, charismatic. Dougherty says Data's holding his people and the Son'a hostage on the Ba'ku planet. Picard wants to get there right quick, but Dougherty reminds him that the planet's in an area dubbed the Briar Patch, full of unusual anomalies that might affect, in unknown ways, ships not equipped with the proper shielding. Dougherty wants just Data's schematics, to find a way to shut him down.

Picard tells LaForge to comply . . . and makes quiet plans to get the ceremony over with as quickly as etiquette allows . . . so the Enterprise can head to Sector 316.

The lead Son'a ship moves towards the ringed Ba'ku planet . . . the Briar Patch is a colorful part of space, lots of plasma stuff. nebulae, etcetera. The leader of the Son'a, Ru'afo, is voicing his dissatisfaction to Dougherty--following Federation procedures has made the mission more difficult than it needed to be. Suddenly, the ship is hit by a blast from someone hiding in one of the nebula clusters . . . the ship gets seriously pounded, when they finally get visual contact--emerging from a gas cloud is a Federation Scout Ship--small but impressive, with windows in the forward cockpit. Dougherty is stunned . . . we see through the cockpit, firing one last blast before heading back to the planet, Data in the pilot's chair.

Picard is very busy in his quarters . . . stacks of PADDs, graphs, charts he's looking over, plus he's trying to polish off a salad and, of course, a spot of Earl Grey Tea. He reaches over for a chart, yanking with it his salad plate, spilling gorgonzolla dressing on his jacket, just as Riker chimes and enters. Picard shows him the chart of the Briar Patch. "It's full of supernova remnants, false vacuum fluctuations--" says Picard. Riker points out, " . . . and gorgonzolla cheese." (har har). "We won't be able to go faster than one-third impulse in that." (har har har--wait, no, he’s serious about that). Anyway, Riker points out that much of the stuff in there is nothing that the Enterprise's shields couldn't handle . . . except for the unusual "metaphasic radiation" found in the dust in the region. The Enterprise enters Sector 316 . . .

Picard makes sure they've downloaded all the files they need from Starfleet Command, because their communications with Starfleet will be cut off once they're in the Briar Patch. Picard assigns Riker and Troi to learn as much as they can from Starfleet records about the mission and those involved. Picard and Worf (who's stuck around) in the meantime will be trying to find a way to safely recapture Data . . . Worf's already come up with a way to modify a tricorder to shut off Data from as far as seven feet away.

In the Enterprise Library (a redress of Voyager's Engineering Set, complete with some real books, mostly computer stations, and a prune-faced old librarian), Troi and Riker go over some exposition . . . the Son'a discovered the Ba'ku planet six months ago . . . it's in Federation space, so they came to Starfleet and arranged a joint sociological study of the inhabitants. Data was assigned to the mission because his android characteristics would render him safe from the metaphasic radiation and therefore useful in many of the tasks required. Riker is puzzled at why the Son'a would be interested in sociology--they're largely a hedonistic race (Troi tosses a paper ball at him when he's not looking, and when he turns, looks innocently at her screen. Riker's about to retaliate with a paper ball of his own, but he sees the librarian staring at him and he sheepishly backs down). Troi brings up reports that the Son'a might have some shady dealings--rumors that the Son'a are producing ketracel white (apparently a narcotic to races other than the Jem'Hadar), equipping their ships with outlawed subspace weapons. (Troi walks over to Riker's station, leans by him to look at the console, her breast resting gently on his upper arm--he's deeply aware of this . . . ). The Son'a are nomadic, and they have no children--it's rumored that some sort of genetic damage is preventing them from procreating (major flirtation going on now). Another ball of paper hits Riker, this time from an alien ensign now looking too innocently at his computer. The librarian glares at Riker and Troi. Troi points to Riker--"He started it." (har, har).

Worf oversleeps and is woken by Picard's com voice. "I don't know how they do it on Deep Space Nine, but on the Enterprise, we still report for duty on time" (har har). Worf gets up, bumps his head (har har har).

The bridge, Picard in command, LaForge at Ops, Perim at conn, a male Bajoran, Lt. NARA, at Tactical. Cute moment as Picard hears something the others don't . . . and figures out the "torque sensors" are out of alignment. LaForge confirms. Picard brags about how good his hearing was when he was an ensign. The Enterprise gets to be in comm range of Ru'afo's ship, and Nara hails Dougherty just as a disheveled Worf relieves Nara at Tactical. Dougherty is surprised, and relays the bad news of Data attacking them. Ru'afo and Dougherty decided to send an assault team to take care of Data, and Ru'afo wants Data terminated, but Picard asks for one chance to try and rescue the android. Dougherty considers, but Ru'afo wants none of Picard. Dougherty allots Picard twelve hours to pull it off; in the meantime, Dougherty and Ru'afo are going to head for the perimeter of the Briar Patch to get Son'a reinforcements in case Picard fails.

Picard and Worf leave the Enterprise in a shuttle and head to the Ba'ku planet, trying to send signals to lure Data out of hiding . . . metaphasic radiation from the planet's rings are in extreme flux and dangerous, so Worf steers clear. Soon enough, a blast hits the shuttle from a nearby gas cloud. Picard tries to communicate to Data. Data, in his ship in the gas cloud, ignores him and continues to fire. Worf triangulates Data's position below them, and Picard maneuvers the shuttle to intercept. Worf suggests firing tachyon bursts than would make Data have to reset shield harmonics, during which process he could be beamed out. A firefight chase between Picard's shuttle and Data's scout in the planet's atmosphere (oooh aaah). Finally, one of Worf's tachyon bursts hits the scout . . . Data resets his harmonics . . . Worf tries to beam him out, but to no avail. Data's got a transport inhibitor device. Data launches torpedoes at them . . . one hits the shuttle's shields, throwing the shuttle briefly out of control . . . the shuttle's fritzed, you know, smoke and gas shooting out of the ceiling. Picard sees the scout zooming past, so close he gets eye contact with data. Picard thinks this one out. He can fly a ship, perform strategic maneuvers--his brain is obviously functioning, so Picard tries a different approach. "Data . . . Two women in Miami Beach. One says to the other, 'That's a lovely diamond youre wearing, Mrs. Hoffman.' The other says, 'Thank you, it's the famous Hoffman Diamond, but it comes with a curse . . . '" Data pauses from his attack to listen as Picard continues the setup, and, says the punchline to himself at the same time Picard says over the com. ("Mister Hoffman!" har har). Then Data clicks back to the fight, and starts firing again. The shuttle's hit again. Picard tells Worf that's one of Data's favorite jokes. Picard tries another tactic . . . it seems Data was rehearsing for a part in HMS Pinafore before he went on the mission . . . so Picard starts singing over the com! "A British tar is a soaring soul . . . " In the scout, Data hears the song, and something is triggered in his damaged brain . . . he starts to sing along. Picard, through what I guess would be called a Karaoke subroutine on the shuttle's computers, gets Worf to join in (har har har). Picard notices Data's stopped firing . . . suddenly, Data's com voice cuts in . . . he's still singing, mesmerized by the song! Picard sings along as he stealthily moves the shuttle toward's Data's ship. As the boarding clamps engage, Data returns to defense mode and starts shaking the scout to try and shake off the shuttle..Picard and Worf hang on for dear life, as the shaking threatens to destroy both ships . . . Picard refuses to release the scout, as the two ships, still joined, start falling toward the planet . . . at the last possible moment, Picard manages to pull the shuttle and scout out of their death spiral, a few yards above the planet's surface. Worf blows the hatch and boards the scout, tries his "remote control" . . . nothing. Data lunges at him . . . Worf extends his arm, presses the button again, and Data shuts off, falling motionless just inches from Worf.

Ru'afo's ship, followed by two Son'a warships and a Son'a science ship, head back into the Briar Patch. Ru'afo and Dougherty look over a computer simulation of some sort of "collector" that would have something to do with the rings of the planet . . . when they are told that Data's been recaptured, and Picard's going down to the planet to free the hostages. Ru'afo is uneasy about this . . . he wants Picard out. Dougherty doesn't want to raise suspicion by ordering Picard to leave before freeing the hostages, but assures Ru'afo that he'll kick Picard out of the Briar Patch as soon as that's done.

In the Ba'ku village, the hostages aren't being treated as hostages after all--the Starfleet people are dining with the Ba'ku, the Son'a keeping to themselves but still unharmed. The Ba'ku kids are playing some sort of game that requires superhuman coordination. Picard, Troi and Crusher arrive (phasers drawn)--it almost seems that the hostages are sorry to see they're being rescued. Gallatin and Curtis go to Picard and introduce themselves. Troi notices and indicates to Picard the kids' remarkable game. Sojef and another village leader, TOURNEL, come up and introduce themselves, too, and ask them to holster their phasers. Picard remarks that he thought the hostages were being held against their will. Anij chimes in . . . they're not used to having guests at all, let alone hold anyone against their will. Sojef tells Picard that the "artificial lifeform" didn't allow the hostages to leave, and told the Ba'ku that the hostages were their enemies, and more would follow. Anij, strongwilled though not harsh, asks, "Are *you* our enemy?" Picard spouts the Prime Directive. Anij remarks dryly (but with a smile) that the PD apparently doesn't include spying on other cultures. Picard explains Data . . . when Tournel chimes in about an irreparable phase variance that they found in Data's positronic matrix. Picard is surprised that a simple people would know this stuff. Turns out that the Ba'ku are indeed an advanced race with advanced knowledge--they just choose to live simply. They have warp capability, but don't need it--who'd want to live anywhere else? Picard takes in the paradise surrounding him, and understands.

Back on the Enterprise, Picard gives Dougherty the lowdown, and Dougherty wants to meet up with them just long enough to trade paperwork and transfer the rescued "hostages" so Picard can get out. Picard glances at all the paperwork in front of him, then is drawn to the window, to the view of the warm inviting planet below.

Riker enters Troi's office for "counseling." "First time for everything . . . do I lie down or what?" Troi consents . . . and he lies down, head on her lap looking up at her. Banter. He sits up, stealing a kiss along the way. She's shocked but not upset. Banter. He approaches her, she backs off a bit, but eventually allows him to catch her. More banter. "Counselor, do you think it's possible for two people to go back in time to fix a mistake they've made?" "On this ship, anything can happen. And usually does." Big kiss. Troi: "Augh." Riker: "Augh?" Troi: "I never kissed you with a beard before." She pushes him out the door ("I kiss you and you say 'augh'?!") . . . the door closes in his face . . . but a tiny grin comes to her face . . .

Engineering corridor. LaForge has a headache he's trying to work through; he shows Picard several burned components from Data's head . . . memory units, damaged by a Son'a weapon . . . that's why Data malfunctioned . . . the Son'a were lying about not firing until after Data went nuts. All LaForge can determine was that he was okay until he was shot . . . then a fail-safe system was activated, where only his moral and ethical subroutines took over his basic functions--the system is designed to protect him against anyone who might try to take advantage of his memory loss. Picard is puzzled . . . if Data knew right from wrong, why attack Starfleet, and tell the Ba'ku that they were a threat?

LaForge and Picard wind up in a high-security cubicle where Data's dormant, mounted on the wall in a diagnostic device. Picard notices that LaForge's implants seem to be irritating him, but LaForge says it's just because he's tired. LaForge activates Data. They tell Data he's had a malfunction, and is back aboard the Enterprise. "I seem to be missing several memory engrams." LaForge holds up the components. "Yes . . . that looks like them" (har har). Data's last memory (aside from "Two women in Miami Beach") is of getting physiometric data on the Ba'ku children, following a boy into the hills . . .

Back on the planet, Sojef, Picard, and Data talk to Artim to try and reconstruct the chain of events. Artim puts away his "palm-pet" (think caterpillar meets jellyfish) and tells them that he had gone to the hills, by a dam, on that day; Artim leads the others toward the place. Along the way, Anij appears, moves over to Picard, asks why he's still here. Picard: "I don't like to leave questions unanswered." Anij: "Then you must spend your life answering questions." Artim is still afraid of Data, though Data assures him he's better now. Picard reminds Data that it's probably nothing personal--the Ba'ku have rejected technology, and it's only reasonable that some might fear him, the personification of everything they've rejected. It bothers Data to be the object of fear. The group continues to the rocky foothills . . . Picard is enchanted by the natural beauty . . . Artim hops from rock to rock across a brook on one foot, and Picard does the same thing without thinking--then notices a curious look from Data that makes him compose himself. The others walk across in "adult" fashion. They come to a small lake, a dam on the far end.

Riker's quarters. A female hand with a straight razor . . . moving to Riker's face, his chin and cheeks lathered with shaving cream . . . the hand is Troi's and they're in the bathtub together in a bubble bath. As she shaves Riker expertly, a com from Worf alerts Riker to a communication from Dougherty. The communication is patched through (audio only, of course). Dougherty (Ru'afo in the background, where a Son'a physician is draining green scum from subcutaneous boils beneath his neck) asks why they haven't left yet. Riker tells him Picard's looking for answers. Dougherty reiterates that the twelve hours are up. The Son'a doctor notes that Ru'afo's body is producing too many toxins--they've reached the limit of genetic manipulation. Ru'afo says he won't need any more manipulation if his Federation friend would help him complete the mission. (He glares at Dougherty).

Picard, Data and the Ba'ku are now at the dam . . . tricorder isn't working perfectly, thanks to kelbonite deposits, but a scan detects neutrino emissions from the lake. Data follows the tricorder to the edge of the lake. Steps to the lake up to his ankles. Pauses again to look at the tricorder . . . then walks straight into the lake until he disappears under the water . . . to the surprise/amusement of the others (including the audience, I suppose). Cute optical shot of Data still examining his tricorder, fish swimming around him.

Data emerges from the lake with the answer . . . he turns a wheel that opens the floodgates of the dam . . . the group reacts as they see a strange displacement of water in the lake as it drains partway. Something CLOAKED is sitting there. A ship. A Federation ship. Sojef discourages Artim from following Picard and Data, who are about to take a rowboat to the ship, ("We are not interested in such things") but not Anij, who hops in the rowboat . . . "If one of your ships has been hidden here, I want to know why." The rowboat reaches the ship . . . Data uses the tricorder to open a hatch . . . he and Picard draw phasers, and climb in . . . to find themselves in an identical image of the Ba'ku village! It's a holographic projection! Picard and Data piece it together . . . Someone was planning to move the Ba'ku off the planet--in their sleep, take them to the holographic village, where they wouldn't know any better as the flying holodeck relocated them to a similar planet. Data wonders why the Feds or Son'a would want to move the Ba'ku out, Picard doesn't know . . . we may notice Anij knows, but isn't saying.

Out of nowhere, a plasma charge is fired at the three, and another and another--the shots ricochet off the walls of the holodeck, revealing portions of the hologrid. Data fires back, Picard shoves Anij outside, where she falls into the water. Picard joins the fray, more firefighting, and finally a Son'a officer falls off the roof of a holo-building, unconscious. Picard ends the holoprogram and decloaks the ship. Picard and Data stick their heads out of the hatch to discover Anij can't swim. They jump in to save her. Data: "In the event of a water landing, I have been designed to serve as a flotation device." (har har har) He jiggles his neck some way and suddenly, he's floating, and Anij grabs onto him as Picard retrieves the rowboat.

Picard (still wet and angry) and Data beam up to the Enterprise, where Worf greets them, a big Klingon zit on his nose. Picard: "Oh . . . well it's hardly . . . noticeable." (har har) Riker, cleanshaven, meets them at the corridor. "Smooth as an android's bottom, eh Data?" Data is confused by this, and observes Riker's chin through this whole sequence. Riker tells Picard of Dougherty's message, but Picard's not planning on going anywhere. Worf tells Picard that Crusher wants to talk to him. Picard coms Sickbay, where Crusher's examining Geordi's eyes; Beverly relays her findings . . . the Son'a hostages refused to be examined, but the Starfleet hostages are fine, better than fine . . . elevated endorphins, increased metabolism, improved muscle tone. As Picard leaves the group to enter his quarters, he instructs them not to release the Son'a until he's met with Ru'afo. At this point Data runs his finger along Riker's chin. "No, sir. It is not."

Picard goes to his quarters, turns on the music--but not his usual chamber music; he requests Louis Armstrong instead. He moves to the bathroom to towel himself dry . . . he glances at the mirror, and notices that the hair around his head is now predominantly chestnut brown . . . .He adds everything up.

It's night in the village, and Picard knocks on a door--it's opened by Anij, and the first thing out of Picard's mouth: "How old are you?"

Later, in Anij's house, they are joined by Sojef, Tournel and Artim. They've decided to tell him what no other offworlder knows . . . because he may be their only hope. Sojef tells the story of the Ba'ku: They came to the planet from a solar system on the verge of self-destruction--powerful weapons, advanced technology. A small group of their race set off and founded the village on the planet, isolated from the threats of technology and other worlds . . . three hundred years ago. And not only have they not aged a day since then, Sojef and some others actually became more youthful. The metaphasic radiation surrounding the planet rejuvenates its inhabitants. (Artim, however, is really twelve. The metaphasic radiation doesn't affect them until maturity). Picard realizes that many offworlders would consider this planet very valuable, and it's why someone's trying to take it away from them. The Ba'ku realized that Data was indeed trying to protect them . . . if not for him, they'd probably have been relocated by now. However, Sojef does not want the Ba'ku to defend themselves with violence. Picard assures them that it may not come to that . . . he's not going to let the enemy try to pull this off without Starfleet Command knowing about it.

Picard and Anij take a predawn stroll at the village. Anij tells of how the Ba'ku's isolationism was necessary, but hard to maintain, since many of the younger once are fascinated with stories of a faster pace of life; Picard remarks that many of his people would sell their souls for a simpler, more peaceful lifestyle . . . and how some of the darkest events in his world's history have involved the forced relocation of a small group of people to satisfy the desires of a more powerful group. We learn more about the Ba'ku life . . . since they live longer, they have the time to perfect their trades, their art, their mental acuity. Picard is ever curious, but Anij tells him that given time, even he would slow down his pace of life on the planet. Anij: "have you ever experienced a perfect moment in time . . . when time seemed to stop . . . and you could almost lived in that moment . . . " Her race has discovered that a single moment in time can be "a universe in itself." Most people aren't aware enough of the "now" to experience the fullness, the power of the moment. And it took the Ba'ku centuries to learn that it doesn't have to take centuries to learn . . . a tender moment as Picard lets Anij go back to her home . . . he takes in the dawn and the rising sun that's soon to come . . . and reacts as he sees LaForge out there, also staring at the horizon . . . with REAL EYES, not the implants. The cells around his optic nerve had regenerated . . . "It may not last after we leave. If not, I just wanted, before we go . . . I've never actually seen a sunrise." A poignant montage as the sun rises . . . Picard's face looking younger, contented in the new sun . . . and a tear rolls down Geordi's cheek . . .

Later, the four Son'a ships dwarf the Enterprise in orbit. Dougherty and Ru'afo enter Picard's ready room. Ru'afo is furious that Picard's not releasing the Son'a who were rescued. Picard brings up his case--he was attacked by a Son'a on the planet . . . they've determined Data was attacked by one as well, when he discovered the holo-ship. That stops Ru'afo, who looks to Dougherty with concern. Dougherty tries to calm him down, but Ru'afo's so ticked . . . his face is so tight it seems it's going to break . . . and it does . . . a crack opens up from forehead to chin and blood dribbles out. He threatens to destroy the Enterprise if they don't return his men; he storms out. Dougherty grants that Picard's conclusions are accurate . . . but defends the Son'a by saying they had merely overreacted. Picard accuses him of participating in the theft of a world . . . threatens to go to the Federation Council, but Dougherty stuns him by saying that he's doing this on orders from the Council. The Prime Directive doesn't apply; the Ba'ku are warp capable, they're not indigenous to the planet . . . they were never meant to be immortal; evacuating them would restore them to their natural evolution. Picard angrily retorts: "Who are we to decide the next course of evolution for these people." Dougherty tries to make him see his perspective--it's 600 Ba'ku, as opposed to billions of others who could benefit from the metaphasic regeneration. The Son'a have been working on a special collector to drain the metaphasic particles from the panet's rings, and have agreed to split the benefits with the Federation fifty-fifty. Dougherty points out LaForge . . . "would you take his sight away from him?" Picard wants alternatives . . . but the admiral says even after the best Federation minds put their heads together, the only way that would work is the Son'a's plan . . . the collector will inject something into the planets rings that would cause a reaction that would drain the metaphasic radiation into the collector. After the process is done, the planet will be unlivable for generations. Establishing a separate colony on the planet on the Son'a won't work . . . the process would work too slowly to help the Son'a, and "no-one wants to live in the middle of the Briar Patch . . . who would?" "The Ba'ku," Picard replies. Centuries of metaphasic exposure make it hard to predict what would happen to the Ba'ku if they're relocated. Dougherty brings up options--bio-domes to recreate the planet's conditions. But Picard is dead set against relocating these people, and considers this a betrayal of the principles on which the Federation was founded, the very soul of the Federation . . . the destruction of an entire race of people. "Six hundred people, Jean-Luc," Dougherty points out. But Picard replies, "How many people would it take before it becomes wrong?"

Dougherty sees no way of persuading Picard. So he orders him to go to the Eikon system . . . file any protests if he wants to, but this process will be done by the time he does so. He's also ordering the release of the Son'a.

Picard emerges from the ready room, and orders preparations for the Enterprise to depart. He enters the turbolift, and takes in a good long look at the bridge--enough for Riker and Data to notice.

Picard enters his quarters, his table still cluttered with charts and PADDs. Angle on his dresser as, one by one, he takes off his rank pips and places them on top . . .

A brief scene in a Son'a "body sculpture chamber," as an old Son'a's youthful good looks (such as they are) are restored by cosmetic surgery . . . Ru'afo is in another device, his head locked into an apparatus as an attendant gives him a facelift right before our eyes, stretching his skin even tighter . . . Gallatin enters, gives his report, mentioning that it wasn't easy being among the Ba'ku. Ru'afo says, "Just don't forget what they did to us." He plans not to bother with the holo-ship anymore . . . just to round the Ba'ku up and toss them into holding cells.

Picard, out of uniform, is in the captain's yacht, secretly transporting cases of equipment onto the yacht, studying a geology scan of the planet's surface. But he's caught by surprise by Data. And Troi, Crusher, Worf, LaForge, and Riker, all but the last two out of uniform as well. Riker finds out that the cases contain explosives,pulse launchers, disintegrators--heavy duty weaponry. Picard tells them all to return to their quarters . . . "I will not allow you to throw away your careers . . . this is not about loyalty to me." "No," Troi chimes in. "it's about loyalty to the ideals of the Federation." The others add their assent. Data points out that they might be affected by the metaphasic radiation, stimulating rebellious instincts (except for Data himself, of course). Crusher: "What do you think we should do?" Dramatic pause, as Data looks to everyone. He picks up a phaser rifle and activates it. "Saddle up. Lock and load."

Picard points out that the Son'a can't put their plan into motion while the planet is inhabited . . . so their job is to keep the planet inhabited. Riker and LaForge are to take the Enterprise out of the Briar Patch and go to the Federation Council, to make them see what's happening and make them sympathize with the Ba'ku. Cute moment here as Picard tells them that he had left a sentimentally blathery letter that was to come up on their screens in the morning . . . he wants them to delete it, but Riker plans to post it on every monitor on the ship (har har). The non-uniformed officers take their posts, as Troi bids Riker farewell . . . they kiss, and the others react in surprise. Data: "Apparently the environmental anomalies are also stimulating . . . " (Worf shuts him up). The yacht falls away from the Enterprise, the thrusters ignite and they head for the planet.

Gallatin reports to Ru'afo that a craft from the E went down to the surface just as the starship left orbit. Ru'afo plans to shuttle down and get everyone off the surface that night.

In the village, Tournel rings the village bell, calling everyone out of bed and into the village square . . . he orders everyone to take only what they need, and food, and evacuate. Artim looks with wonder at the yacht, and bumps into Data, who's activated the transport inhibitors he's planted in the area. Artim, still scared of Data, runs around the ship, only to bump into Worf (har har). Picard relays his plan to Anij and Sojef . . . their goal is to reach the mountains, protected by transport inhibitors along the way; in the mountains, exotic mineral deposits will make transport virtually impossible. They'd have to send soldiers down to pick them up one by one, and the Ba'ku and the crew can hold them off once they're at the mountains . . . but it won't be easy to get there.

The Son'a shuttlecraft roar overhead . . . their transporters are obviously not functioning . . . the Ba'ku make their way through the fields, guided by the five Starfleet officers, when the Son'a start firing around the Ba'ku. Fear and panic. Worf realizes they're trying to knock out the inhibitors. Worf takes down a Son'a shuttle with a pulse launcher, but another ship manages to knock out one of the inhibitors . . . the gap in the field's enough for the shuttle to scoop up about fifty of the Ba'ku, including Sojef. Artim is nearly trampled as people scramble to the protection of the next inhibitor (nearly loses his palm-pet, too), but is saved by Data.

Up in the lead Son’a ship, Gallatin has figured out what the Ba’ku and Picard are trying to do. Dougherty wants to go down to the planet and talk to Picard . . . much as Ru’afo wants to send an assault team down and take the Ba’ku by force, Dougherty cautions that if anyone gets hurt, they’ll certainly lose the support from the Federation Council. Ru’afo pooh-poohs him . . . the Federation is old, and, in the last two years thanks to the Borg, Klingons, Cardassians, and Dominion, greatly weakened; the reason why the Feds embraced the Son’a’s offer was to breathe new life into the Federation. "How badly do you want it?" Ru’afo asks the admiral. If Riker and the Enterprise gets through the Briar Patch and relays the damaging news to the outside, the rest of the Federation’s going to meddle with the Son’a’s plans, if not put an end to them altogether. Dougherty considers this, but Gallatin, who hates the idea of a violent assault, comes up with a proposition . . . isolinear tags that would help the Son’a transporters lock on to the people--the challenge being that each person to be beamed up has to be individually tagged. Meantime, the Enterprise is less than a day away from reaching Federation communications range. Ru’afo doubts that Riker will obey an order from Dougherty to turn around . . . and suggests that his ships "escort" the Enterprise back--or destroy it. Dougherty finally gives in and crosses his moral line . . . and okays Ru’afo’s plan to intercept the Enterprise.

Back on the planet, the exodus into the mountains continues with the Enterprise crew, the Ba’ku, and the Ba’ku’s beasts of burden. An exchange between Artim and Data . . . how Artim disagrees with his father’s antitechnological ways, how Data could only imagine what it’s like to be a child . . . the two bond; "Do machines ever play?" Artim asks. Data mentions his prowess with the violin and chess, but that’s not what Artim means . . . to demonstrate, he starts a game of tag with Data. "If you want to know what it’s like to be a child," Artim says, "You need to know how to play." The effects of the planet are starting to be more evident . . . accelerated hair growth in Worf, which Worf warns is a symptom of Klingon puberty, usually marked by severe mood swings and unusually aggresive tendencies (even for a Klingon). The group finds a safe place to set up camp. Anij points out that Picard’s hair is starting to grow in, too . . . and she rather likes him bald--none of the Ba’ku, for obvious reasons, are bald. Flirtation, etc. Picard: "I should warn you . . . I’ve always been attracted to older women." They start to caress each other and suddenly, the effect Anij was talking about earlier takes place--a moment that lasts forever; we see a hummingbird (a recurring motif throughout the movie) flap its wings . . . time seems to slow down . . . an altered reality, a heightened state of sensory perception . . . and they kiss . . .

The Enterprise, moving at one-third impulse (must be that gorgonzolla cheese area) through the Briar Patch . . . Riker in the Captain’s Chair, Perim at Conn, LaForge at Ops, Nara at Tactical. Perim detects two Son’a warships on an intercept course, moving a lot faster than the Enterprise . . . the E won’t make it out of the Briar Patch before the Son’a intercept. The Son’a fire a warning shot that rocks the Enterprise. Riker orders full impulse, though that would threaten the safety of the Enterprise . . . LaForge goes to Engineering to better handle things, as Riker calls for battlestations . . .

On the trail, Troi and Crusher are sitting down, munching on Starfleet rations . . . Data overhears the conversation . . . "And have you noticed how your boobs have started to firm up?" "Not that we care about such things" (Crusher, dryly). Data then walks over to Worf and repeats the same lines to him (har har). Suddenly, a dozen Son’a shuttles emerge over the horizon, dropping dozens of flying football-sized electronic drones who then fly toward the group. The Ba’ku scatter, as the officers try to shoot some of the drones down . . . the drones fire what seems to be a new kind of weapon, but the projectiles turn out to be the isolinear tags Gallatin spoke of! Many of the Ba’ku are tagged and beamed out, as Picard, Anij, and several of the remaining Ba’ku head for a nearby cavern. Data and the others follow, blasting the drones as they push ahead.

The Enterprise is leaking plasma exhaust, trading fire with the Son’a ships. Riker notices a nearby nebula cluster . . . against the warning of Perim, he orders the ship into the nebula, taking over at conn while Perim moves to Ops. "Time to use the ‘Briar Patch’ like B’rer Rabbit did . . . "

The Ba’ku run inside the cavern, steam coming up from the mineral waters within it . . . our crew continues to blast the swarming drones. Worf’s phaser jams and he starts swinging at the drones with a tree branch, knocking two of them out of the ballpark. "Sir, I am definitely feeling aggressive tendencies," he tells Picard (har har).

Data and Artim are still far from the cave, running down a steep trail . . . in the ridge ahead of them, three Son’a foot soldiers appear . . . Data rushes them and collides, sending them over the ridge falling to almost certain death when Data smartly grabs one of the drones out of the air and aims it at the falling Son’a, who are abruptly tagged and beamed out in mid-fall.

The Enterprise is getting a rough ride . . . not only have the Son’a ships fired torpedoes into the nebula, they’ve used their illegal subspace weapon, creating a subspace tear threatening to engulf the Enterprise. The Enterprise’s only chance for survival is to eject the warp core and detonate it at the tear . . . it works, but the Enterprise takes further beating from the explosion. The tear’s been sealed, but there’s nothing stopping the Son’a from doing it again ("and we’re fresh out of warp cores," Geordi reminds Riker). Riker comes to a decision . . . they’re through running.

Inside the cavern, the Ba’ku make their way through, although they can still hear shooting outside. The last Ba’ku enter, and Data activates a forcefield at the mouth of the cavern that keeps the drones out. Meanwhile, Artim’s palm-pet crawls out . . . the shuttles are now starting to fire torpedoes at the caves, trying to draw the people inside out. Data warns that the cave could collapse . . . Data finds another exit (though it requires a little blasting to make it) . . . the exit leads up to the mountains and the caverns that are there . . . renewed optimism.

The Enterprise is barely functional. Riker notices pockets of metreon gas in the distance, and, against Geordi’s protestations of great danger, plans to collect them in the ramscoops and shove them down the Son’a’s throats. Calling up a manual steering column (glorified joystick), Riker maneuvers the ship straight at the Son’a, then releases the ramscoops and peels away just as the Son’a fire at the scoops and blows them up . . . the Enterprise is sent careening away by the force; one of the Son’a ships is blown to bits, the other is crippled.

Back on the planet . . . the aerial assault continues as the Ba’ku file out the new exit . . . then they get spotted by some Son’a footsoldiers. Picard gets the people moving, while Worf yanks out an isomagnetic disintegrator (boy, these tech people love that iso- prefix)--a bazookalike weapon--and blasts the footsoldiers . . . one tumbles down the hill, landing near the cave. Crusher’s right there to scan him to make sure he’ll live . . . but the surprise is on her as her readings suggest something unbelievable, and she reveals this to Picard. "How can this be possible?" Picard asks. "Maybe we should ask them," Crusher replies, indicating Anij and Tournel, who are helping the last Ba’ku out of the cave.

Anij notices that Artim’s nowhere to be found . . . he went back into the cave to look for his palm-pet. Anij finds Artim and heads back to the exit, where Picard and the others are standing . . . Picard goes in to meet them partway when a Son’a weapon hits the mountainside and the cave ceiling starts to collapse . . . Picard reaches out for Anij just as the whole thing comes down on both of them; he manages to push Artim outside the cave into the arms of Data. Data tells a reluctant Artim to go with Tournel and the rest of the Ba’ku into the mountains. The other Enterprise officers examine the collapsed mouth of the cave . . . Crusher reads two lifesigns, one extremely faint--tons of rock blocking the way--blasting the rocks may cause another cave-in, so they start digging furiously as Tournel takes the rest of the Ba’ku into safety.

Picard is under the rubble . . . Worf manages to raise his commbadge and tell him they’re trying to get to him . . . Picard finds Anij’s motionless body. Picard manages to get out his tricorder and scan her . . . she’s dying. Picard tries to assure her that help is coming . . . but he’s losing her . . . he takes her hand and puts it up to his cheek . . . "Stay with me . . . don’t let go of this moment . . . help me find the power to make you live in this moment . . . " Her eyes weakly open one last time . . . and as their eyes connect . . . once again, the alternate reality, the heightened perception, as time slows . . . the moment seems to last forever . . . he’s thrown her a mystical lifeline that she’s holding on to . . . until at last Crusher breaks through the rocks and gives her a much-needed hypospray to stabilize her.

Beverly, Worf, Troi, Data, and Picard (carrying Anij) start to cross over to safety when they stop dead in their tracks--five drones hovering menacingly between them and the caverns beyond . . . an OK Corral moment. Picard gently puts Anij down and gets a phaser rifle from Worf. The drones open fire . . . our people react and evade the tags fired at them, and fire back; the only one still in the same spot is Picard, protecting Anij. Four drones are destroyed, but the fifth fires, tagging Anij; Picard reaches for her tag, but suddenly he gets tagged, too . . . the two dematerialize . . .

Ru’afo’s ship, in orbit of the Ba’ku planet . . . Ru’afo enters an enormous brig filled with almost a hundred Ba’ku . . . he sees Picard, tending to Anij with Sojef. Ru’afo gloats and offers to release him if he orders his crew to surrender. Picard gives him the silent treatment. Ru’afo then threatens Anij’s life. Dougherty steps in, unwilling to see any prisoner come to harm, but Ru’afo’s had enough of him. Ru’afo reminds Dougherty that he’s on a Son’a ship, and Picard’s committed terrorist acts, but in that regard, Dougherty wants Picard to have a Federation trial. Gallatin apprises Ru’afo of the defeat of their two warships. Picard says that the Enterprise would fire only in self defense, that Ru’afo must have ordered an attack, and Dougherty must have consented. Dougherty has lost his dignity . . . he knows the accusations are true. Ru’afo finally gives up on the entire process, and plans to launch the injector into the rings, even if it kills everyone on the planet. Gallatin reacts to that--Picard notices. "You would kill your own people?" Picard tells Ru’afo. Dougherty is puzzled. "Didn’t you know, Admiral? The Ba’ku and the Son’a are the same race."

The big picture is revealed . . . a century before, a group of Ba’ku wanted to follow the ways of the offworlders . . . they tried to take over the colony, but failed; in punishment, they were exiled. Anij and Sojef realize that they know Ru’afo and Gallatin, under other names, from the past. Picard points out to Dougherty that the Federation’s actually been drawn into a blood feud. "The children have returned to expel their elders . . . just as they were once expelled. Except Ru’afo’s need for revenge has now escalated to parricide." Dougherty is a lost man, realizing his tragic errors. "It was for the Federation . . . it was all for the Federation."

Ru’afo returns to the body sculpture chamber for another treatment. Dougherty wants to call everything off, but Ru’afo has stopped taking orders from him--just so the Federation will never find out what’s happening there, he pushes the Admiral into one of the devices in the chamber and facelifts him to death.

Ru’afo meets up with Gallatin and the other Son’a on the bridge of his ship, and orders Gallatin to deploy the metaphasic collector. Gallatin protests . . . he doesn’t want to kill the Ba’ku . . . but Ru’afo points out that no one hated the Ba’ku more than Gallatin himself . . . this is the moment the two of them have been waiting for. Ru’afo orders Gallatin to put the captured Starfleet personnel to a cargo hold where they’d be unprotected from the reaction from the collector, and be killed as a result.

Huge hatches open on the Son’a science vessel and the collector extends out from it . . . the science vessel is an Astrodome-sized chamber of technodoodads stretching outward as the collector expands . . . solar sails unfurling toward the planet’s rings.

Gallatin goes to the brig to personally escort Picard to the cargo hold. Along the way, Picard is very cordial considering the circumstances . . . he needles away at Gallatin, pointing out how it must have been painful to see the Ba’ku again . . . how the Son’a’s bitterness has changed Ru’afo, and turned Gallatin into "a coward, a man who ignores his conscience." Eventually Picard gets to Gallatin, who warns that the crew is loyal to Ru’afo. Gallatin does know how to disable the injector, but he’d need some time on the bridge to pull it off . . . if they could lure Ru’afo from the bridge somehow--a seemingly impossible task, but Picard gets a rainstorm . . . he asks to communicate with Data on the surface.

The collector is fully extended now, and Ru’afo calls for the launch sequence that would activate the injection reaction . . . it’s T minus 7 minutes (I hope they don’t use Arabic numerals for an alien countdown . . . ) before the injector fires, causing the cascade reaction that would allow the collector to drain the metaphasic radiation from the rings, and kill everyone on the planet and around who are unprotected from the radiation. Suddenly . . . boom . . . the ship is rocked by small blasts . . . tachyon bursts from the captain’s yacht, flown by Data. Ru’afo dismisses the puny attack. Data keeps firing at Ru’afo’s shield grid, as per Picard’s orders, while Worf is "in position," ready for the simultaneous transport. T minus 3 minutes. Ru’afo is told that Data’s blasts are disrupting the shields, increasing their chances of being negatively affected by the radiation. Ru’afo, irritated, orders the destruction of the yacht and a reset of the shield harmonics. The yacht is hit and spins out of control . . . Data tries to head back to the planet safely . . . an extended optical flash on the Son’a bridge, but nothing seems to be affected . . . T minus fifteen seconds . . . ten (the injector assembly is launched into the rings) and at T-minus zero, we see through the Son’a viewscreen the injector doing its thing, emanating particles that cause the reaction . . . the nature of the rings changes before our eyes . . . Ru’afo’s plan is coming to pass. But there’s no change in the readings for metaphasic flux, when they should be increasing exponentially . . . something’s wrong . . . all ship functions are offline . . . but the viewscreen’s working, artificial grav is stable, life support is okay . . . Ru’afo scrutinizes the walls of the bridge, and then opens fire on the walls with his plasma weapon . . . his crew is on the holoship! He blasts enough of the hologrid to reveal a short flight of stairs to the holo-ship’s bridge. His own ship is right there in front of him . . . Once the shield harmonics were reset, he and the bridge crew were beamed on board the holoship by Worf (who simultaneously beamed onto Ru’afo’s bridge) . . . his success was just an illusion. The injector assembly has been deactivated . . . the real countdown has been frozen at T minus two minutes or so. Meantime, Data’s careening towards the planet, the yacht threatening to burn up in re-entry--in fact, the roof breaks off and Data himself is heating up . . . Data beams out just in time as the yacht disintegrates.

Ru’afo checks the status of the holo-ship--the fourteen long-range transporters (intended to be used to beam the Ba’ku aboard in the original plan) are locked and useless, but Ru’afo orders his men to get one working . . . though he doesn’t plan to beam back into his own ship.

The Enterprise-E, bloody but unbowed, returns to within sensor range of Ru’afo’s ship . . . their mission was a success, the Federation Council’s ordered a halt on the Ba’ku relocation. Suddenly, the countdown on Ru’afo’s bridge starts again . . . someone’s transferred control to the collector device itself . . . Ru’afo’s beamed aboard, and has established a security field around himself so he can’t be beamed off. Gallatin shows Picard what he has to do to defeat the injector--beam onboard the collector and pull out a special circuit that’s attached to the ignition matrix. Worf volunteers, but Picard has "no intention of informing your bride that you’re not coming home." Picard takes it upon himself to do the task.

The Collector is now a cavernous room, now that the sails are unfurled . . . a hollow cobweb of pipes and conduits. The injector’s in its prelaunch stages. Ru’afo is working the controls. Picard materializes onto a plank near the injector far above . . . the area’s not designed for manned operation, so he has to do an awkward crawl onto a grille under the injector himself. In time he works his way to the matrix--the time is now T minus 1:20. He works to open the matrix . . . but an alarm goes off on Ru’afo’s console. Ru’afo switches off the forcefield and looks up, sees Picard . . . draws his weapon, fires, misses, but Picard’s still running out of time. T minus 1:10. Ru’afo climbs toward him. Picard tries to pull out a circuit--no good; there’s a forcefield protecting it--he works on disabling the forcefield. Ru’afo’s now on the plank where Picard had originally arrived . . . their eyes connect. Picard disables the forcefield at last . . . T minus 47 . . . he reaches for the circuit but Ru’afo gets there first, lunges at Picard..the two grapple across the grille, Picard slips, falls, but Picard grabs hold of the grille and saves himself from the long, deadly fall. Ru’afo works to uncurl Picard’s fingers from the grille to make him let go . . . T minus 20 . . . the ignition matrix engages and the nitrogen flow throws Ru’afo off-balance . . . it’s now or never as Picard reaches through the grille, grabs Ru’afo by the neck and yanks his head down against the grille, stunning him..Picard pulls himself up and dives into the nitro smoke towards the detonation circuit . . . Ru’afo recovers, comes back at him again . . . T minus 10 . . . Ru’afo grabs Picard, yanks him away from the matrix . . . T minus 5 . . . Picard breaks free and jumps onto the plank a short distance away . . . Ru’afo looks at the ignition matrix . . . the detonation circuit’s gone!

Ru’afo reacts, looks at Picard, who’s on the plank, holding up the circuit for him to see . . . "Looking for this?" Picard’s on the plank, Ru’afo’s on the grille . . . only about a foot apart . . . but an instant later, Ru’afo slides away with the injector as it’s launched . . . a forcefield zaps into place as the injector enters space . . . Picard watches as it heads for the rings. From the injector, we burst into the bright colorful metaphasic dust and gases of the rings . . . as Ru’afo begins to change . . . growing younger and younger . . . facelift turns into middle age then through young adulthood then adolescence then childhood . . . fade to white.

The Ba’ku village. Troi waves from a distance as the Ba’ku return from the hills. Riker’s standing with Worf. Worf: "Have I mentioned the unanticipated rewards I’ve discovered in a permanent relationship?" Riker: "Permanent . . . that sounds like a long time." Worf: "Life is short, Commander."

Worf leaves Riker to ponder on that as we follow the Klingon . . . he takes us past Gallatin, who is watching with longing the children playing tag in the grass. Picard, Anij and Sojef observing the elderly Son’a. Sojef is pessimistic about a reconciliation between the Ba’ku and the Son’a . . . but they notice Crusher in the distance accompanying a young Ba’ku woman, taking her to Gallatin . . . the woman embraces Gallatin as a mother embraces a lost son. Anij realizes the woman is Gallatin’s mother . . . the reunion, arranged by Picard to begin the healing process. Sojef shakes Picard’s hand in an unstated but deep appreciation for all he’s done . . . goes off to join Gallatin and his mother. Anij looks to Picard with love. "What am I going to do without you?" She’s anticipated before he does that he has to leave. He explains that these are perilous times for the Federation . . . he can’t abandon it to people who would threaten everything that it stands for . . . but he has three hundred or so days of vacation time due him, and he plans on using them someday . . . on the planet with Anij.

Worf informs them that another Starfleet ship’s arrived to tie up the loose ends, and that the Enterprise is still needed to mediate that little dispute in the other system. Picard says they’ll have to wait a little longer . . . he plans to go back to Earth . . . and "slow things down" a little for the Federation Council. "Worf!" a familiar voice rings offscreen . . . it’s Quark, accompanied by two Dabo girls. He’s here with plans to build "the greatest spa in the galaxy." Picard firmly states that there will be no spas built here . . . the Ba’ku planet will be made a Federation Protectorate, to save it from exploitation by people like Quark. Picard orders the uninvited alien and his entourage beamed back on the Enterprise, to be deposited back at DS9 when they drop Worf off. Worf takes Quark away. Anij wonders whether the Federation would really be interested in protecting 600 people. "The ‘mighty’ Federation could learn a few things from this village," Picard replies . . . and kisses her. The signature hummingbird appears, hovering briefly in front of them . . . and as he takes her hand to his cheek . . . the hummingbird once again slows . . . its wing movements fluid and gentle as the moment extends . . .

Data plays a last game of tag with Artim and the kids before saying his goodbyes. Artim reminds him, "You’ve got to play a little bit every day." "Good advice," says Riker, as he takes Troi’s hand, suggesting perhaps a new permanent commitment. Picard moves to join the others, presses his commbadge, orders the beamup, and exchanges a final look with Anij as they dematerialize.

The Enterprise leaves orbit, and moves into space . . .

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