This episodes Rashoman style of showing a murder from multiple perspectives really worked for me as a kid and it still works today. As a kid I only remember that Geordi figured it out in the end, but that is only part of the story. Picard had to look at the three versions of the story they had seen (including the dead man's version, so Rashoman!!!) and figure out why the doctor had tried to kill Riker. Without that I don't think the investigator would have dropped the charges.
The episode opens with Picard painting a nude woman in an art class. Data comes in and after complimenting all the other artist work tears Picards attempt apart on all sorts of artistic grounds. It turns out Data is really there to tell the captain they have arrived at a research station where Geordi and Riker and checking in on a scientist trying to make Kreeger waves or something. I am not clear on the time lines but I guess Geordi beamed over a few minutes earlier because when Riker calls up he sounds pissed and Geordi tells Picard there is a story. When O'Brien tries to beam Riker back there is an energy surge but he gets him just in time. Just in time because as soon as he leaves the station explodes killing the researcher.
The planet contacts the Enterprise and sends an investigator up. Worf escorts him to the bridge where he attempts to arrest Commander Riker. Picard brings the investigator into his ready room at tells him he is happy to investigate, but he has discretion over whether to extradite. Picard offers to recreate the station on the holodeck and make simulations based on the testimony from Riker and the other witnesses. The investigator agrees and they meet 12 hours later to start the hearing. They begin with Riker's version where the scientists wife hits on him and gets him alone only to be caught by her husband who tries and fails to punch Riker and then threatens to ruin him. The next day Riker tries to convince the scientist he is going to support his research anyway, but he isn't believed and then beams back to the ship. The investigator then tells them the computers linked to the station on the ground detected an energy surge that could be a phaser blast coming from the exact spot Riker was standing.
During a break in the hearings Worf detects a surge of radiation on the ship which Geordi and Wesley investigate and find it has blasted a hole in one of the ships duranium panels. The hearing continues and they watch the wife's testimony where Riker hits on her and the scientist rushes in to stop Riker but other than that it is pretty similar. Finally the assistant to the scientist testifies they he told her Riker threatened to kill him and sent her and the wife back to the planet. Things aren't looking great, but suddenly there is another radiation surge, this time in the sickbay. Dr. Crusher manages to get out in time but another panel is destroyed. This time they figure it out though. Back in the holodeck Picard puts it all together and explains that the Kreeger generator did work and the scientist was trying to sell it to somebody as a weapon. He thought Riker had him figured out and tried to kill him with the generator. The energy blast the investigator discovered was the beam reflecting off the Riker as he was being transported. There is even a subtle delay just long enough to be explained by this bounce. Charge are dropped and they get the hell out of there.
Review: This episode does a good job of putting together a mystery and then solving it in a very short period of time. Even the final answer is hinted at when Geordi figures out the timing of the radiation pulses and mentions that it was slightly delayed when the station was destroyed.
8 out of 10
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