I had forgotten what an amazing team Spock and Data make. It is sad that this was there only opportunity to be paired up because they were good enough to justify a show all on their own. Tasha's daughter Sela continues to play a rather inexplicable role. It just seems like it would make more sense to have a powerful member of Romulan security in that role, but I guess Denise Crosby really wanted back on the show. The parts of this episode I remember best are actually the seedy bar where Riker and Worf get to flirt with the four armed keyboard player. A worthy last television Trek role for Nemoy as well.
The episode begins exactly where the last one left off with Spock explaining to Picard that he is here to begin the process of reunifying Romulus and Vulcan (which duh, is we knew because it is the name of the episodes). Picard also has to tell Spock about the death of his father but of course Spock is pretty good at handling stuff like that. There is a lot of diplomacy stuff but eventually they get a meeting with Senator Pardek who greets them and tells them that they are to meet with the proconsul.
Back on the Enterprise they are following the leads on the ship they destroyed last night and it has led them to a seedy bar. Riker manages to flirt his way into the information that a Ferengi who is a regular at the bar has the information they need. On Romulus the meeting with the proconsul goes well, too well. He agrees to allow Spock to address the senate calling for reunification but after they leave Sela emerges from a back office and they do some gloating. Back in the caves Spock tells them that he figures this is probably a trap but he should go ahead with it anyway. However he also works with Data to break into the Romulan state computer grid to gather information. Back at the bar the Ferengi arrives and Riker confronts him. After choking him a bit Riker learns the ship was sold at Galorndon Core, a planet near the neutral zone.
Back on Romulus Data and Spock discover a message sent to Galorndon Core from Romulan intelligence, the signal is 1400. Spock recognizes this as the time is he to address the senate tomorrow, but it is too late. Romulan security suddenly show up totally surrounding them and Sela takes them into custody. She sends a signal to Riker telling him it is the captain and to hold position, but Riker sees right through it. Sela tells Spock he must deliver a fake speech or she will kill him, but being a badass Vulcan he says he realizes she will kill him either way so she reveals that she has a holographic version of him. She then storms off to gloat, but Data and Spock realize they still have access to their computer.
Three Vulcan ships emerge from the neutral zone and say they are bearing a Vulcan peace delegation. Riker ignores them and sets course towards them at high speed, but they get a distress call from a colony, and Riker sees through that as well. Back on Romulus Sela returns but is confronted by Riker and two security personnel with phasers. She is distracted by the holograms long enough to be captured and have her weapon taken by Spock. The fake speech instead announces the invasion and the Romulans destroy their own invasion fleet. Data gives Sela a neck pinch and they flee into the caves. Spock remains behind to educate the Romulans about Vulcan culture but not before mindmelding with Picard to also meld with his father.
Review: A complicated story that pays off in all the right ways. Lots of classic Romulan intrigue. I didn't really like Sela, but the rest was solid.
9 out of 10
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