

(written from a Production point of view Real World article

After Captain Picard receives a dark warning from an old friend, the Enterprise-D returns to Earth to stop an alien invasion from taking over Starfleet Command.

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Summary

Teaser

While en route to Pacifica for a mission, Jean-Luc Picard receives a code 47 emergency message from Walker Keel, an old friend who is captain of the Ambassador-class USS Horatio. Keel asks Picard for a secret rendezvous on the abandoned mining colony on Dytallix B. Even though it is a secured channel, Keel insists they meet face to face.

Act One

Picard quickly arrives on the bridge and asks Data if he knows Dytallix B. He orders the helm to travel there immediately, with no record of the change and no communication to Pacifica. He goes to his ready room, leaving William T. Riker to wonder what is going on.

On arriving at Dytallix B, Picard meets alone with Walker and two other captains, Tryla Scott and Rixx, who, after confirming Picard's identity with a series of questions about his past, tell him about their suspicions of a conspiracy of some sort reaching up to the highest levels of Starfleet Command. They don't have all the answers, but they cite recent suspicious orders and deaths. They are convinced that people, even top-level personnel, are "changing" somehow. Keel already suspects his first officer and chief medical officer. The only sign of the change appears to be loss of long-term memories. They ask that Picard stay vigilant.

Act Two

After returning to the Enterprise-D, he first consults Deanna Troi, saying he believes Keel and trusts him as a friend, even though he is violating Starfleet regulations. Picard looks into the matter, having Data review Starfleet directives of the past six months. While Data is reviewing the records, the USS Enterprise-D continues on to Pacifica, but along the way encounters an unusual disturbance in a nearby sector. Picard re-directs the Enterprise toward it, and they eventually identify it as shipwreck debris. Speculating that it could be one of the three ships they encountered at Dytallix B, Worf informs them that based on the volume of debris, it could only be the USS Horatio, Walker Keel's ship.

Act Three

In light of Keel's death, Picard tells Riker about the suspicions Keel voiced in the observation lounge and connecting them with Rear Admiral Quinn's earlier that year. During their conversation, Data enters and reports what he has found: during the past six months there has been a great deal of "uncustomary reshuffling of personnel – usually in the command areas" of a select number of starbases. Furthermore, the new officers have had a great deal of contact with the highest levels of command. Data hypothesizes that the reorganizations are an attempt by a hostile force or individual to control important sectors of Federation territory. Faced with this information, the Enterprise-D returns to Earth.

Upon entering orbit, the Enterprise-D is contacted by three admirals from Starfleet Command, requesting an explanation for their return. Picard states that he would prefer a discussion of that sort occur in private; the three admirals convene for a moment, then invite Picard and Riker to dinner at Starfleet Headquarters for the discussion to take place. Quinn says that he will not be able to attend the dinner, but that he would like to see the Enterprise-D again. Just before he beams up, he looks at a scorpion-like creature he has in a case.

Act Four

When Quinn is on board the Enterprise-D, he bluffs his way through references to old times, stating that his earlier perception of a threat to the Federation was merely a metaphor for the "tumultuous process" of assimilating new species into the Federation. Picard realizes that Admiral Quinn is an impostor of some sort and tells Riker to observe Quinn closely while he beams down alone to dinner. Also, he wants Doctor Crusher to give him a medical examination under false pretenses; after Riker reaches his conclusions, he is to join Picard on Earth, in force if necessary. Picard then beams down and meets with Rear Admiral Savar and Vice Admiral Aaron, as well as Dexter Remmick.

On the ship in the guest quarters, Quinn offers to show Riker the creature and tells him about it. It was discovered by a Starfleet survey team on an uncharted planet, and Quinn refers to it as "a superior form of life". When Riker says he'll get his science officer to examine it, Quinn grabs his arm very strongly, saying the creature will only like Riker. After a brief scuffle, in which Quinn displays amazing strength, Riker is knocked unconscious, but not before calling security. Worf and La Forge arrive, calling a medical emergency. Quinn says that Riker slipped and hit his head, and then announces his departure. When they try to detain him, however, he throws La Forge out into the corridor, his body knocking down the door. He turns to Worf.

Act Five

He similarly beats Worf before being repeatedly phasered with increasingly powerful stun settings into unconsciousness by Dr. Crusher. In sickbay, Crusher's scans show that Quinn really is Quinn, but she discovers a bizarre appendage sticking out of the back of his neck.

On Earth, the two admirals try to subtly persuade Picard that there is in fact no conspiracy. However, they reveal they know his first officer by name, which is unusual. Furthermore, they know the Horatio is destroyed, and they blame Keel's negligence. Dinner is announced, so Picard takes a moment to contact Riker. Crusher answers on Riker's combadge, as Riker is unconscious. Crusher informs Picard that a parasitic creature of some sort has taken control of Quinn and all his brain functions. The spike at the back of Quinn's neck appears to be a gill, which is a helpful indicator of those who have been taken over by one of the creatures. Crusher states her doubts about removing the creature, believing it would kill Quinn. She instructs Picard to set his phaser to kill rather than stun, which has little effect on the creature or its host; Picard, however, believing that no one beams down to Starfleet Headquarters armed, has no phaser with him at all.

Picard goes in to dinner. The dish being served is a bowl filled with worms. Picard is disgusted, and realizes that everyone at the dinner has been infiltrated by the aliens. He gets up to leave, and runs into Riker. Riker has also apparently been taken over by the creature: he has a gill in his neck. So, too, has Captain Scott. The "conspirators" announce that they have known of Picard's intentions the whole time. They talk of their plan to infiltrate the Enterprise-D. Riker moves to eat, but instead he pulls out a type 1 phaser and shoots the dining security guard. When Captain Scott draws her phaser at Riker, Picard grabs at her arm and throws off her aim, allowing Riker to shoot her as well. However, Admiral Savar begins to subdue Riker with a Vulcan neck pinch.

Picard then grabs the Captain Scott's phaser and uses it to take down Savar. Admiral Aaron flees the dining room, and Picard and Riker pursue and shoot him in the hallway after he returns fire. The admiral falls to the ground, and the parasite infesting him crawls out of his mouth and goes under a nearby door. They follow it to find Remmick sitting in a chair. He turns to look at it, unconcerned; Riker goes to shoot it, but Picard stops him, as the creature crawls up Remmick and enters his mouth. He swallows it, and it begins moving around in his neck. "We mean you no harm", he says as he stands, his neck noisily bulging in and out. "We seek peaceful coexistence".

Picard and Riker open fire with their phasers, knocking Remmick back into the chair. Riker aims higher and destroys Remmick's head, the outer layer of skin vaporizing and the rest exploding. Remmick's chest cavity begins to dissolve and a large creature breaks through with several blood soaked parasites trickling behind, screaming at the two Starfleet officers. With a disgusted look on his face, Picard opens fire again with Riker following suit, both phasers continuing until the creature is vaporized, leaving several blood soaked parasites around the chair and floor, and the decapitated smoldering remains of what was once Lieutenant Commander Remmick.

Back aboard the Enterprise-D, Picard notes in his log that Admiral Quinn will make a full recovery, and with the death of the "mother creature" inside of Remmick, the remaining parasites died while Riker reveals that Dr. Crusher had simulated the gill on the back of his neck in order to fool everyone, including Picard. As the Enterprise-D moves on into space, Data theorizes that the message Remmick was transmitting at the time he died was a homing beacon.

As the Enterprise moves on through space, the sound of electronic beeping is heard, focused on an unexplored patch of the galaxy, leaving the ominous possibility that some or all of Remmick's message might still reach its intended recipients, letting the parasites know where to find Earth.

Log entries

Memorable quotes

"It's about Starfleet. About something we've always considered to be impossible."

- Walker Keel, to Captain Picard



"You owe me, and you owe it to yourself to hear what I have to say. Something is beginning. Don't trust anyone. Remember that, Jean-Luc. Don't take anything for granted."

- Walker Keel, to Captain Picard



"It won't like your science officer. It DOES LIKE YOU! Vitamins… they do wonders for the body."

- Quinn



"Friendship must dare to risk, Counselor, or it isn't friendship."

- Picard, on risking his career to follow up on Walker Keel's conspiracy theory



"Apologies, Captain. We had to be sure you were really you."

- Rixx, after lowering his phaser at Picard



"I'm glad, Jean-Luc. I'm glad you're still one of us. Tell Beverly I… I said "hello"."

- Walker Keel



"Captain, you must set your phaser on kill. Stun has little effect."

"Doctor, one does not beam down to Starfleet Headquarters armed."

- Dr. Crusher and Picard



"If I could see, I'd be seeing stars."

- La Forge, after regaining consciousness from being thrown through a door



"You don't really think we were in the dark about your intentions, do you?"

"Patience is one of our virtues, Captain. We didn't go after you; we allowed you to come after us."

"More dramatic that way, don't you think?"

"Yes. The one thing both races share is a love of theater, and you've put on a fine show."

- Aaron, Savar, and Tryla Scott



"You don't understand. We mean you no harm. We seek peaceful co-existence!"

- Remmick

Background information

Production history

Script and story

Production

The opening credits to this episode include Denise Crosby's character, Natasha Yar. Yar was killed off and didn't appear regularly after " Skin of Evil ".

". Jonathan Frakes states that during the dinner scene, grub worms did "cross" his lips.

Cast and characters

Sets and props

Music

Continuity

This episode marks the first appearance of a Bolian.

Awards

Reception

Video and DVD releases

Natasha Yar's face is obscured by shadow on the video sleeve, reflecting her death in the previous volume.

Apocrypha

Starring

Also starring

Guest stars

Guest stars

Uncredited co-stars

Stunt doubles

Stand-ins

References

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Library computer references



