Now this is another episode that could have just as easily been a TOS episode, but not in a bad way. The Vengeance Factor is a bit simplified compared to how these disputes usually take place, but it doesn't exactly end with all the loose ends tied up which is honestly a lot more realistic than a lot of episodes. Following right up on the episode where Troi falls in love with a stranger new to the ship who turns out to not be what he appears I guess I should have figured this would be a bit similar. The twist of Riker having to actually kill his lover was more intense than I expected and was a dramatic way to end the episode.
The episode opens with Riker beaming into a very green, very wrecked place with an away team. It turns out to be a federation outpost that went silent recently. It has been stripped of valuables and the only survivors are badly injured from being repeatedly stunned. There is also alien blood that could have only come from one race, a race divided between a civilized faction living on the surface of their homeworld and a group of outlaws know as, "the Gatherers," who wander the area raiding and pillaging. Picard decides the Acamarians themselves must end this conflict and takes it upon himself to tell their leader so. Marouk, sovereign of the Acamarians isn't excited about negotiating with the Gatherers, but with some prodding from Picard agrees to try with his help. Her servants beam aboard to aide her on the voyage including her personal chef who Riker takes notice of immediately. She agrees to cook him some authentic Acamarian cuisine if you know what I mean.
Marouk guides the Enterprise to a system suspected of having a Gatherer outpost. Riker leads an away team down and they find lots of stolen goods, and an ambush! After fighting back the Gatherers Riker pretends to retreat only to ambush them. The local Gatherer leader agrees to meet with the sovereign to discuss their readmission onto Acamarian society. While negotiations are ongoing the chef, Yuta, sneaks off and kills one of the Gatherers with an unknown substance. When his body is found Dr. Crusher beams down to try and help, but it is too late. The Gatherer leader Brull agrees to travel on the Enterprise to meet with the head of all Gatherers on his ship. While they are en route Yuta comes to Rikers quarters, but after some kissing things go wrong when Riker learns Yuta is unable to experience love or pleasure. This is interuped by a red alert and Riker heads to the bridge.
The ship is under fire from the Gatherer ship which refuses to answer hails. However they are totally outgunned and the Enterprise knocks out their shields with one shot. The head Gatherer agrees to negotiate after Picard beams over with Marouk. Things aren't going well, but the Gatherers do seem genuinely interested in rejoining society. Back on the ship Dr. Crusher has acquired the records from Acamaria and has found a tailored microvirus is what killed the Gatherer. She also learns it has been used before and when a picture is brought up of the victim Yuta is with him. exactly the same age as she appears now even though the assassination took place 52 years earlier. Riker beams down to the negotiations just as Yuta tries to kill the Gatherer leader. She explains his clan killed all but 5 members of her clan over 100 years earlier and she was modified to not age to allow her to kill all the members of the clan that massacred her own. When she proves immune to stun setting and keeps trying Riker is forced to shoot her at full power and kills her.
Review: This is a much better executed story than last nights episode. Not one that will be long remembered in the canon, but an enjoyable episode to watch. Some of the Gatherers overact a bit, but they are essentially space pirates so I am willing to put up with a fair bit of that.
6 out of 10
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