Two Geordicentric episodes on a row! And unlike last nights mixed bag this Geordi performance works. Also, I am somewhat surprised Gene was willing to allow the plot about Worf refusing to give his blood to save the dying Romulan. I mean, they did kill his parents and the Romulan in question refuses to allow, "Klingon filth," into his bloodstream so I guess it makes sense, but it still seems to conflict with the Roddenberry vision of a more perfect future.
While responding to a distress signal from the Romulan neutral zone the Enterprise watches a small craft fall to the surface of the inhospitable, but technically habitable planet Galorndon Core. Riker, Worf and Geordi beam down to investigate and find the debris from a Romulan vessel, which destroyed after it crashed. Their communicators and tricorders aren't working so they spread out to search visually. Worf finds a Romulan survivor and calls over Riker. Just then Geordi tumbles down a hole. Riker looks for him but their window to get off the planet is closing so they beam out leaving Geordi behind.
The Romulan is badly hurt and claims to have been alone on the planet. Geordi wakes up at the bottom of a hole and for some reason makes metal spikes to help him climb out. Back on the bridge Wesley comes up with a plan to send a neutrino pulse beacon to the surface which Geordi's visor can see and he can modify to signal he has found it. Geordi spots the beacon quickly, but is attacked by another Romulan. Bochra, the Romulan who attacked Geordi isn't in good shape, the planet damages neural synapses he he isn't doing well. He spends a while refusing to help, but eventually after Geordi can't interface with the visor any more he helps modify the tricorder to link to the visor the find the beacon.
Back on the ship a Romulan bird of prey is demanding the Romulan survivor and when the Enterprise doesn't bring him quickly enough they cross over the neutral zone and head for Galorndon Core. Dr. Crusher discovers that only Worf has some vital cell parts that will save the Romulan's life, but Worf hates them too much for killing his parents to give any blood. The Romulan dies and the bird of prey arrives. Just as they are about to open fire on the Enterprise for, "killing their officer," Geordi signals that they have found the beacon and Data detects that he isn't alone. The Romulans let them beam both of them to the Enterprise and Picard agrees to turn over Bochra. They all still hate each other, but at least they have managed to work together.
Review: This is a pretty standard TNG episode, not mind blowing, but without major flaws. The story of two men from oposite sides of a war trapped together has been done before, but it is well done here. Also Picard's showdown the the Romulan war ship is suitably intense.
7 out of 10
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