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Lower Decks (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Lower Decks" is the 167th episode
of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
s promotion evaluation process, four junior officers find themselves involved in a top-secret mission.
woman named Sito Jaxa discover that they are being considered for the same job. Joined by their pal Ben, a civilian who works as a waiter, they learn that promotions seem to be already decided on for their other two friends, Nurse Ogawa and the young Vulcan
engineer Taurik.
Worf soon detects an escape pod inside Cardassian
space, which is off limits to the Enterprise, and Geordi and Taurik work to transport the passenger on board, amidst a cloak of secrecy.
Ogawa seems to be doing nicely in the evaluations as Dr. Beverly Crusher has nothing but praise for her abilities and accomplishments. She orders Ogawa not to reveal what she is about to see in Sickbay, and Dr. Crusher takes her in to where an injured Cardassian has been brought on board.
Meanwhile, Commander Riker
and Worf
differ on whether Lavelle or Sito should be promoted. At one point, Captain Picard
chastises Sito for her role in a Starfleet Academy scandal (depicted in the earlier episode "The First Duty"). She leaves the meeting exasperated, without having had the opportunity to defend herself.
Considerations of promotions are interrupted, however, by a baffling secret mission that all but Lavelle are involved in. Left out of the loop, Lavelle becomes convinced that this is a sign that he will not be promoted. After teaching a class, Worf tells Sito that he wants to test her. He blindfolds her and engages her in a one-on-one martial arts fight. Sito is powerless to stop Worf's attacks and finally stands up to him, saying it's an unfair test. Worf admits that getting her to stand up for herself when she is being judged unfairly is what he had intended all along. She then uses this newfound confidence to confront Picard about his earlier interrogation of her. Picard admits that the purpose of his earlier treatment of her was actually to assess her readiness for a dangerous secret mission where she will pose as a Bajoran
captive taken by a Cardassian
named Joret Dal. Joret is actually a Federation operative, and he needs to get back to Cardassia. The plan is for Joret and Sito to enter Cardassian space in a "stolen" Star Fleet shuttle craft that has been made to look like it was damaged from phaser fire during an escape. At the first opportunity, Joret will launch Sito back to Federation space in an escape pod.
Sito's escape pod does not return from the mission, so after waiting 32 hours, Picard orders a probe be launched into Cardassian space, despite being warned that doing so would be a treaty violation. The probe detects scattered debris that appears to be the remnants of a Star Fleet shuttle escape pod. The Enterprise later intercepts Cardassian communications which report that a Bajoran prisoner overpowered her Cardassian captor and attempted to leave Cardassian space in an escape pod, which was then destroyed, leaving no survivors.
Captain Picard announces the loss of a fellow crew member over the ship's general address. Lavelle receives the promotion, but he and his friends, as well as the senior crew, are downhearted. They all comfort each other, and Worf (at the prompting of the waiter Ben) joins them as the episode concludes. Even the emotionally-distant Worf has been affected by the loss they all feel.
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.
Overview
While enduring the EnterpriseUSS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
The USS Enterprise is a 24th century starship in the Star Trek fictional universe and the principal setting of the Star Trek: The Next Generation television series...
s promotion evaluation process, four junior officers find themselves involved in a top-secret mission.
Plot
Four young Enterprise junior officers find their friendship strained during personnel evaluations. Two of the friends, Sam Lavelle and a young BajoranBajoran
In the Star Trek science-fiction franchise, the Bajorans are a humanoid extraterrestrial species native to the planet Bajor. They were first introduced in the 1991 episode "Ensign Ro" of Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequently also featured in episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and...
woman named Sito Jaxa discover that they are being considered for the same job. Joined by their pal Ben, a civilian who works as a waiter, they learn that promotions seem to be already decided on for their other two friends, Nurse Ogawa and the young Vulcan
Vulcan (Star Trek)
Vulcans, or sometimes Vulcanians, are an extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek universe who evolved on the planet Vulcan, and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic with no interference from emotion. They were the first extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek...
engineer Taurik.
Worf soon detects an escape pod inside Cardassian
Cardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
space, which is off limits to the Enterprise, and Geordi and Taurik work to transport the passenger on board, amidst a cloak of secrecy.
Ogawa seems to be doing nicely in the evaluations as Dr. Beverly Crusher has nothing but praise for her abilities and accomplishments. She orders Ogawa not to reveal what she is about to see in Sickbay, and Dr. Crusher takes her in to where an injured Cardassian has been brought on board.
Meanwhile, Commander Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
and Worf
Worf
Worf, played by Michael Dorn, is a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in seasons four to seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also appears in the films based on The Next Generation. Worf is the first Klingon main character to appear in Star Trek, and has appeared in more Star...
differ on whether Lavelle or Sito should be promoted. At one point, Captain Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
chastises Sito for her role in a Starfleet Academy scandal (depicted in the earlier episode "The First Duty"). She leaves the meeting exasperated, without having had the opportunity to defend herself.
Considerations of promotions are interrupted, however, by a baffling secret mission that all but Lavelle are involved in. Left out of the loop, Lavelle becomes convinced that this is a sign that he will not be promoted. After teaching a class, Worf tells Sito that he wants to test her. He blindfolds her and engages her in a one-on-one martial arts fight. Sito is powerless to stop Worf's attacks and finally stands up to him, saying it's an unfair test. Worf admits that getting her to stand up for herself when she is being judged unfairly is what he had intended all along. She then uses this newfound confidence to confront Picard about his earlier interrogation of her. Picard admits that the purpose of his earlier treatment of her was actually to assess her readiness for a dangerous secret mission where she will pose as a Bajoran
Bajoran
In the Star Trek science-fiction franchise, the Bajorans are a humanoid extraterrestrial species native to the planet Bajor. They were first introduced in the 1991 episode "Ensign Ro" of Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequently also featured in episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and...
captive taken by a Cardassian
Cardassian
The Cardassians are an extraterrestrial species in the Star Trek science fiction franchise. First introduced in the 1991 Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "The Wounded", the species originating on the fictional Alpha Quadrant planet Cardassia Prime...
named Joret Dal. Joret is actually a Federation operative, and he needs to get back to Cardassia. The plan is for Joret and Sito to enter Cardassian space in a "stolen" Star Fleet shuttle craft that has been made to look like it was damaged from phaser fire during an escape. At the first opportunity, Joret will launch Sito back to Federation space in an escape pod.
Sito's escape pod does not return from the mission, so after waiting 32 hours, Picard orders a probe be launched into Cardassian space, despite being warned that doing so would be a treaty violation. The probe detects scattered debris that appears to be the remnants of a Star Fleet shuttle escape pod. The Enterprise later intercepts Cardassian communications which report that a Bajoran prisoner overpowered her Cardassian captor and attempted to leave Cardassian space in an escape pod, which was then destroyed, leaving no survivors.
Captain Picard announces the loss of a fellow crew member over the ship's general address. Lavelle receives the promotion, but he and his friends, as well as the senior crew, are downhearted. They all comfort each other, and Worf (at the prompting of the waiter Ben) joins them as the episode concludes. Even the emotionally-distant Worf has been affected by the loss they all feel.
See also
- The First Duty, the fifth season episode introducing the character Sito Jaxa as a member of Nova Squadron.