Directed by
Jonathan Frakes
Story by Rick
Berman & Michael Piller
Screenplay by
Michael Pilier
Stardate Unknown
Premiered
December 11, 1998
Ahdar
Ru'afo; Leader
of the Son'a people from around 2275 to 2375. Ru'afo was born as
Ro'tin on the Ba'ku planet but changed his name to Ru'afo when he was
exiled from his planet. In the years away from his homeworld and the
rejuvenating effects of its metaphasic radiation field, Ru'afo
gradually suffered the debilitating effects of aging. Rebuked in his
efforts to return home, Ru'afo allied his people with a renegade
Starfleet officer, Admiral Matthew Dougherty, who agreed to remove
the Ba'ku people from their planet. In exchange, both the Son'a and
the Federation 
would
share in the benefit of the metaphasic radiation. Ru'afo's plan was
halted by the crew of the Starship Enterprise-E, led by Captain Jean-Luc
Picard. Ru'afo was killed aboard a Son'a particle-collection
spacecraft that would have devastated the Ba'ku planet white
harvesting metaphasic particles from the Ba' ku planets ring system.
Anij; Member of the peaceful Ba'ku community. Anij was drawn to Jean-Luc Picard when he visited her world in 2375, and the two quickly formed a deep personal bond, despite her strong distrust of offlanders. Like most of her people, Anij had the ability to live in the moment to such a degree that time for them would slow to a crawl. To accomplish this, she entered a meditative state.
Admiral
Matthew Dougherty; High-ranking
Starfleet officer. In 2375, Dougherty conspired with the Son'a to
steal the Ba'ku planet from its inhabitants. Working with Ahdar
Ru'afo, a Son 'a official, Dougherty had hoped to harness an unusual
metaphasic radiation particle field around the planet, so that the
rejuvenating properties of the planet could be made available to all
senior Starfleet and Federation officials. Dougherty planned to
divert Federation attention from the planet so that he could use a
holoship to remove the world's 600 inhabitants. Dougherty died on a
Son'a ship after officers from the Enterprise-E were successful in
stopping his plan.
Subahdar
Gallatin; Member
of the Son'a people that left the Ba'ku around 2275. Gallatin was
born as Gal'na on the Ba'ku planet. As Subahdar Gallatin, he served
as second-in-command of the Son'a fleet under Ahdar Ru'afo. Gallatin
hated the Ba'ku for banishing his people, but he was not willing to
kill them. When Ru'afo planned to kill all the Ba'ku in order to take
possession of the Ba'ku planet, Gallatin cooperated with Starfleet
officers to prevent that from happening.
Sojef;
Community
leader on the Ba'ku planet in 2375. Sojef didn't want his son Artim
to get too interested in Data because his people shunned advanced technology.
Artim;
Inhabitant
of the Ba'ku planet, born in 2383, son of Sojef. Artim had a Ba'ku
rhyl as a pet who lived in his pocket. Artim befriended Data in 2375
during Dougherty's attempt to drive the Ba'ku people from their homeworld..
Regent
Cuzar; Dignitary
with the Evoran delegation to the Federation She attended a
reception aboard the U.S. S. Enterprise-E in 2375.
Tournel; A dark-haired male Ba'ku villager. Tournel reported to Picard that Data had an irreparable phase variance in his positronic brain.
On the planet Ba'Ku, children play in an idyllic village situated at the edge of a clear blue lake. Hidden behind a nearby rockface, a group of Starfleet officers and members of a race called the Son'a observe the village, while men in isolation suits walk unnoticed by its inhabitants. Suddenly, an explosion breaks the calm. The rockface shatters, uncovering the observation station and the men in isolation suits.
On board the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701-E, Captain Picard, Deanna Troi and Dr. Crusher are dressing in formal uniform for a banquet to welcome the Regent Cuzar and her people. As they arrive at the banquet hall, Picard bumps into Lt. Commander Worf, who was in the sector installing a new defense perimeter when he heard the Enterprise was nearby. Picard invites Worf to remain onboard. Picard has to cut his meeting with the Regent Cuzar short due to a pressing matter he has to take up with Geordi LaForge, who reports that Data has not returned from a mission on the planet Ba'ku, and that Starfleet Admiral Dougherty has requested Data's schematics.
Talking to Dougherty, Picard learns that Data is not responding to hails and is holding Dougherty's people hostage. Picard agrees to send Dougherty Data's schematics, but plans to make a stop at the sector on the way to the Goren system.
On board the Son'a ship, Ahdar Ru'afo is having a facial when Dougherty enters to explain what has happened on the planet surface. Suddenly, the Son'a ship is hit by a phaser blast from Dougherty's own scout ship, with Data at the helm.
Meanwhile, on board the Enterprise, the crew are conducting research into the Son'a and the Ba'ku planet. When the Enterprise arrives at the coordinates of the Son'a ship, Picard pleads for the android Data's life, and manages to negotiate twelve hours to try and get Data off the planet. Worf and Picard take the captain's yacht to find Data's ship, and after a short battle, manage to capture him before both ships plummet to the planet surface.
Picard, Troi and Crusher beam down to the Ba'ku village. Picard explains to the Ba'ku that they have come to rescue the hostages, but they are met with contempt and resentment by Anij and the Ba'ku people, who have rejected technology in favor of a more natural lifestyle. The Enterprise crew return to the ship with the hostages, and are promptly ordered to leave the planet immediately. But Picard has no intention of leaving the system and armed with proof that it was the Son'a who caused Data to malfunction returns to the surface to investigate. There, he and Data meet Artim, a young boy who leads the officers to the place where he remembers seeing Data. They reach a lake, where Data takes some scans that reveal a submerged, cloaked Federation ship which houses a holographic representation of the Ba'ku village.
Returning to the Enterprise, Picard orders Worf to debrief the hostages a second time. Riker appears, sans beard, relaying a message from Admiral Dougherty that their twelve hours are up, but Picard will not be forced to leave. Dr. Crusher tells him that the entire crew have elevated levels of endorphin production, and are in unusually good health. Returning to his quarters, Picard looks in the mirror only to discover that his skin has become tighter and more youthful. Picard visits the Ba'ku village that evening, where they reveal to him that they came to the planet over three centuries ago when their world was threatened with destruction. The youthfulness of the people is the result of metaphysic radiation in the planet's rings. Picard realizes that the planet's youth-replenishing properties are endangering the Ba'ku from outsiders, and promises to help them.
Ru'afo and Dougherty pay a visit to the Enterprise only to face an angry Picard who wants some answers about the holoship. Dougherty explains that he is acting on direct orders from the Federation Council, telling Picard that the Son'a have found a way to collect the metaphysic particles from the planet's rings, and how that could benefit thousands of people on Earth. Picard asks Dougherty to delay the procedure, but Dougherty refuses and orders Picard to leave. Planning to leave for the surface on a personal rescue mission, Picard is discovered by his crew. After some discussion, it is agreed that Worf, Data, Crusher, Troi and Picard will beam down to the planet, while Riker and LaForge take the Enterprise out of Ba'ku space. Their shuttle is spotted by Ru'afo, who aims to remove the Ba'ku from the planet, even if it means eliminating the Enterprise crew.
On the planet, the Enterprise crew evacuate the villagers to safety in the mountains. Data places transport inhibitors around the village to prevent the Son'a from beaming down, but a Son'a ship destroys one of the inhibitors and over fifty villagers are beamed off the surface. On board the Son'a ship, Ru'afo, Dougherty and Gallatin are angered by the actions of the Enterprise officers. They decide to use isolinear tags to lock onto the Ba'ku in order to beam them off the planet. The people on the planet are now in the foothills of the mountains. Data manages to strike up a conversation with Artim while Picard and Anij, who are leading the escape procession, sit down to rest. As they flirt, Anij takes Picard's hand. They kiss, and Picard experiences a new emotional perspective.
A dozen Son'a ships suddenly appear over the horizon and start deploying flying drones which target the Ba'ku with isolinear tags. In seconds, people start to disappear. The Ba'ku panic and rush to hide in nearby caverns, but Son'a troops begin to land on the planet. As a fight breaks out, one of the Son'a is wounded and when Dr. Crusher scans him, she discovers something incredible. She shows Picard, but before they have time to discuss the readings, there is a blast nearby and a cave collapses on Picard and Anij.
Meanwhile, on board the Enterprise, Riker and Geordi are being pursued by two Son'a ships. The Son'a detonate an isolytic burst which creates a tear in subspace, and the Enterprise is forced to eject the warp core to prevent them from sliding into it. In retaliation, Geordi collects metreonic gas which creates an explosion and destroys the Son'a ships. Safely extracted from the rubble, Picard and Anij are making their way further up the mountain when a group of drones appear in front of them. Panic ensues as the drones open fire on the people. Picard and Anij are tagged and are beamed aboard the Son'a ship. They are greeted by Admiral Dougherty, who tells Picard that he can avoid a courtmartial if he orders the Ba'ku to surrender. The Captain will not comply, however, even when Ru'afo announces that he plans to strip the planet's rings, despite the consequences to the Ba'ku people who are still on the surface. Picard suddenly asks Ru'afo is he is prepared to kill his own people.
He explains to the astounded Dougherty that the Ba'ku and Son'a are the same race. Ru'afo, his secret exposed, reveals that a century ago a group of young Ba'ku tried to take over the colony and, when they failed, were exiled. Dougherty tells Ru'afo that the mission is over and that he is leaving, but Ru'afo kills Dougherty and orders Gallatin to carry out mining of the rings. With three minutes left to go before Ru'afo's particle collector is launched, the captain's yacht appears, firing seemingly harmless tachyon bursts at the ship. Data is at the helm. After a while, Ru'afo realizes that Data's actions are disrupting the Son'a's shields, and orders the yacht's destruction.
Suddenly, there is a flash on the bridge of the Son'a ship. The mining process has begun, but a Son'a officer soon realizes that nothing is happening - the ship's functions are offline. They discover that Picard and Data have transported them to the holoship where the simulation is playing out. Meanwhile, on board the Son'a ship, Gallatin secures the bridge from the Son'a crew.
Ru'afo beams over to the collector and begins the countdown from there. Picard tries to destroy the collector but is unable to and, realizing that the launch sequence has begun, beams himself over to the collector. On the Son'a bridge, the doors burst open and soldiers stream in, attacking Gallatin and Worf. The Enterprise arrives at the scene and rushes to Picard's aid. Picard reaches the collector's control matrix, but the Enterprise is now under attack from the Son'a ship. Riker sets a collision course for the ship, forcing the Son'a to veer off. Meanwhile, on the collector, Picard and Ru'afo have been fighting and a shot has been fired causing explosions on the collector. With the countdown at nine seconds, the Enterprise arrives. There is an explosion at the far end of the collector and a giant fireball approaches Picard. The Enterprise races toward Picard attempting to beat the fireball and as the explosion reaches the captain's position, he is beamed off less than a second before Ru'afo is hit by the explosion. The collector is blown apart by the explosion and destroyed.
Worf and the Ba'ku are then beamed aboard the Enterprise. The Enterprise crew return to the planet to bid farewell to the Ba'ku people. Anij and Picard say good-bye, and as the crew prepare to beam up, they realize that Data is missing. Data is playing in a haystack with Artim and some other children. Data takes leave of his new found friend, Picard and Anij exchange a final look, and the crew departs to the Enterprise.
Picard
-- Patrick Stewart
Riker
-- Jonathan Frakes
Data
-- Brent Spiner
LaForge
-- LeVar Burton
Worf
-- Michael Dorn
Crusher
-- Gates McFadden
Troi
-- Marina Sirtis
Ru'afo --
F.Murry Abraham
Anij -- Donna Murphy
Dougherty --
Anthony Zerbe
Gallatin --
Gregg Henry
Sojef --
Daniel Hugh Kelly
Artim --
Michael Welch
Tournel --
Mark Deakins
Perim --
Stephanie Niznik
Lt. Daniels --
Michael Horton
Son'a Officer
#1 -- Bruce French
Lt. Curtis --
Breon Gorman
Bolian Officer
-- John Hostetter
Elloran
Officer #1 -- Rick Worthy
Tarlac Officer
-- Larry Anderson
Starfleet
Officer -- D. Elliot Woods
Female Ensign
-- Jennifer Tung
Son'a Doctor
-- Raye Birk
Regent Cuzar
-- Peggy Miley
Son'a Officer
#2 -- Claudette Nevins
Elloran
Officer #2 Greg Poland
Ensign --
Kenneth Lane Edwards
Son'a Officer
#3 -- Joseph Ruskin
Ba'ku Child --
Zachary Williams
Ba'ku Woman --
McKenzie Westmore