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Power Play (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Power Play" is the title of a Star Trek: The Next Generation
episode
, from the fifth season
. The episode has an average rating of 4/5 on the official Star Trek
website (as of October 22, 2007).http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TNG/episode/68536.html
approaching Mab-Bu VI, from where it has detected a distress call. Commander Data discovers that the distress call is standard for Daedalus-class starships, which went out of service 172 years ago. He then finds that the USS Essex, a Daedalus-class ship, was lost in the region 200 years ago. After concluding that assessing the situation from the ship is inadequate, Picard
decides that an away team must visit the moon. Troi
enters the stage, and indicates to Picard that she "feels" a living presence on the surface. Data
announces that electromagnetic interference from electrical storms precludes the use of the transporter
to the moon; Picard authorizes a shuttlecraft
mission, manned by Riker
, Data, and Troi.
As the shuttlecraft travels towards the moon's surface the crew loses navigational control of the craft, and Data is forced to make a crash landing. By the time the shuttle lands all communication with the Enterprise has been cut off by electromagnetic interference.
Riker suspects he has a broken arm due to the crash landing and the three crewmembers emerge from the shuttlecraft to learn about their surroundings. They observe the front of a massive electrical storm, and Riker comments that it appears nothing like the front of any other electrical storm he has seen before. A tricorder
scan indicates EM bursts across the entire spectrum.
Back on the Enterprise the crew discuss possibilities for rescuing the crew of the shuttle. Ro Laren
states she can use the descent angle of the shuttlecraft to approximate the landing site. Miles O’Brien
enthusiastically proposes that he should transport to the surface and attempt to use a pattern-enhancing device to allow a reliable transport of the away team. Geordi
cautions Picard that O’Brien's chance of surviving the transport is about "fifty-fifty". O’Brien acknowledges the risk, and Picard grants permission.
O’Brien safely transports to Mab-Bu VI, and he is greeted with relief by Riker. As O’Brien prepares the transport procedure, one or more of the crew is struck by a large amount of what appears to be bolts of electricity. All but Riker are immediately incapacitated, and he hastens to begin the transport. Just before the four are transported, however, three light sources enter the bodies of Data, Troi, and O’Brien.
Upon their return to the Enterprise, Data, Troi, and O’Brien insist that the Enterprise conduct a survey of the southern polar region of the moon. The rest of the crew refuse, believing the idea to be absurd. The three then stage a violent uprising and take command of the ship. They use hostages as leverage to force Picard to change the course of the ship. Dr. Crusher determines that Riker was not affected because the pain from his broken arm somehow repelled whatever force possessed the others. Troi, the leader of the mutineers, then reveals that she is the captain of the Essex. She claims that their spirits were trapped in the electromagnetic fields of the moon, and if the Enterprise transports their bones back to Earth, they can be set free. However, Picard is skeptical of her claim because of their violent actions.
Dr. Crusher devises a way to free the mutineers' bodies from the possessive forces by inducing pain, but the plan fails because Data suddenly moves out of range of their attack. After Data threatens to kill everyone in the room, Picard agrees to comply with their demands. He asks Riker to let Data, Troi, and O'brien move safely to one of the cargo bays. After they arrive, Picard challenges Troi about her claim to be captain of the Essex, and she reveals that the moon is a penal colony. O'brien uses the transporter to beam other prisoners, trapped as an electric storm, into the cargo bay so they may escape on the Enterprise. With help from the bridge crew, Picard says he would rather open the cargo bay doors and let them all die than risk the lives of his crew. At an impasse, the three spirits are forced to relinquish their hosts and return to the moon. Troi, Data and O'Brien are restored to normal.
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...
episode
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...
, from the fifth season
Season
A season is a division of the year, marked by changes in weather, ecology, and hours of daylight.Seasons result from the yearly revolution of the Earth around the Sun and the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the plane of revolution...
. The episode has an average rating of 4/5 on the official Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
website (as of October 22, 2007).http://www.startrek.com/startrek/view/series/TNG/episode/68536.html
Plot
The episode begins with the USS EnterpriseStarship Enterprise
The Enterprise or USS Enterprise is the name of several fictional starships, some of which are the focal point for various television series and films in the Star Trek franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. It is considered a name of legacy in the fleet...
approaching Mab-Bu VI, from where it has detected a distress call. Commander Data discovers that the distress call is standard for Daedalus-class starships, which went out of service 172 years ago. He then finds that the USS Essex, a Daedalus-class ship, was lost in the region 200 years ago. After concluding that assessing the situation from the ship is inadequate, 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...
decides that an away team must visit the moon. Troi
Deanna Troi
Commander Deanna Troi is a main character in the science-fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and related TV series and films, portrayed by actress Marina Sirtis. Troi is half-human, half-Betazoid and has the psionic ability to sense emotions. She serves as the ship's counselor...
enters the stage, and indicates to Picard that she "feels" a living presence on the surface. Data
Data (Star Trek)
Lieutenant Commander Data is a character in the fictional Star Trek universe portrayed by actor Brent Spiner. 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...
announces that electromagnetic interference from electrical storms precludes the use of the transporter
Transporter (Star Trek)
A transporter is a fictional teleportation machine used in the Star Trek universe. Transporters convert a person or object into an energy pattern , then "beam" it to a target, where it is reconverted into matter...
to the moon; Picard authorizes a shuttlecraft
Shuttlecraft (Star Trek)
In the Star Trek fictional universe, a shuttlecraft is a small auxiliary spaceship carried by the larger craft such as the Enterprise. Shuttlecraft were documented in the writer's guide for the series in 1966 and first appeared in the episode The Galileo Seven. Galileo was the name of the...
mission, manned by 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...
, Data, and Troi.
As the shuttlecraft travels towards the moon's surface the crew loses navigational control of the craft, and Data is forced to make a crash landing. By the time the shuttle lands all communication with the Enterprise has been cut off by electromagnetic interference.
Riker suspects he has a broken arm due to the crash landing and the three crewmembers emerge from the shuttlecraft to learn about their surroundings. They observe the front of a massive electrical storm, and Riker comments that it appears nothing like the front of any other electrical storm he has seen before. A tricorder
Tricorder
In the fictional Star Trek universe, a tricorder is a multifunction handheld device used for sensor scanning, data analysis, and recording data.Three primary variants of the tricorder are issued in Star Trek's Starfleet...
scan indicates EM bursts across the entire spectrum.
Back on the Enterprise the crew discuss possibilities for rescuing the crew of the shuttle. Ro Laren
Ro Laren
Ro Laren is a recurring fictional character on Star Trek: The Next Generation, played by Michelle Forbes.Ro Laren was also planned to be a main character in the two following Star Trek television shows, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager...
states she can use the descent angle of the shuttlecraft to approximate the landing site. Miles O’Brien
Miles O'Brien (Star Trek)
Miles Edward O'Brien, played by Colm Meaney, is Chief of Operations in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Before DS9, he appeared as a recurring transporter chief in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
enthusiastically proposes that he should transport to the surface and attempt to use a pattern-enhancing device to allow a reliable transport of the away team. Geordi
Geordi La Forge
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge is a regular character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and its feature films, played by LeVar Burton...
cautions Picard that O’Brien's chance of surviving the transport is about "fifty-fifty". O’Brien acknowledges the risk, and Picard grants permission.
O’Brien safely transports to Mab-Bu VI, and he is greeted with relief by Riker. As O’Brien prepares the transport procedure, one or more of the crew is struck by a large amount of what appears to be bolts of electricity. All but Riker are immediately incapacitated, and he hastens to begin the transport. Just before the four are transported, however, three light sources enter the bodies of Data, Troi, and O’Brien.
Upon their return to the Enterprise, Data, Troi, and O’Brien insist that the Enterprise conduct a survey of the southern polar region of the moon. The rest of the crew refuse, believing the idea to be absurd. The three then stage a violent uprising and take command of the ship. They use hostages as leverage to force Picard to change the course of the ship. Dr. Crusher determines that Riker was not affected because the pain from his broken arm somehow repelled whatever force possessed the others. Troi, the leader of the mutineers, then reveals that she is the captain of the Essex. She claims that their spirits were trapped in the electromagnetic fields of the moon, and if the Enterprise transports their bones back to Earth, they can be set free. However, Picard is skeptical of her claim because of their violent actions.
Dr. Crusher devises a way to free the mutineers' bodies from the possessive forces by inducing pain, but the plan fails because Data suddenly moves out of range of their attack. After Data threatens to kill everyone in the room, Picard agrees to comply with their demands. He asks Riker to let Data, Troi, and O'brien move safely to one of the cargo bays. After they arrive, Picard challenges Troi about her claim to be captain of the Essex, and she reveals that the moon is a penal colony. O'brien uses the transporter to beam other prisoners, trapped as an electric storm, into the cargo bay so they may escape on the Enterprise. With help from the bridge crew, Picard says he would rather open the cargo bay doors and let them all die than risk the lives of his crew. At an impasse, the three spirits are forced to relinquish their hosts and return to the moon. Troi, Data and O'Brien are restored to normal.