I can both understand why I was disappointed the first time and why I enjoyed it this time. Resolving the entire crisis with the discovery that the magical super weapon they have been searching for is defeated by peace is pretty lame. At the same time this episode contains some really solid character moments both for Riker and Picard, but also between Data and Worf. We have always known Worf doesn't like going about things in an indirect way, but in this episode he gets in trouble for openly questioning Data's command decisions and after apologizing they both decide they would rather stay friends than continue fighting.
The episode opens where it left off with the mercenary ship firing on the Enterprise. Data correctly figures it is a fake attack and fakes damage on the ship. They also return fire with limited power but it is enough to make the mercs flee. Picard again starts a fight with Riker and afterwards Baran pulls Riker aside. He offers him a role in their future ventures, all he has to do is kill Picard. Riker goes right to Picard with this info and Picard tells him he isn't surprised, but what does surprise him is that the artifacts aren't actually Romulan, they are Vulcan. Things change again when Picard finds the artifact they have been looking for and the Romulan on the ship pulls him aside. She claims to be a Vulcan in disguise and that she is on a mission to stop the artifacts from being found since they are a powerful psychic weapon. They head to meet the person with the other piece of the artifact.
But the Enterprise has beaten them there. Finding a lone Klingon on a shuttle they have detained his ship for a safety inspection to look for the artifact, but aren't having any luck. The mercs arrive and Riker leads an away team onto the Enterprise to get the artifact from the Klingon ship. They first beam to the shuttlebay but don't find the artifact so they beam directly to the observation lounge where the Klingon is being questioned by Data and Troi. Picard grabs the artifact from the Klingons jacket and blasts Riker before taking off with the mercs. Of course Riker isn't actually hurt and now he can tell the Enterprise what he knows. First thing he does is contact the Vulcans who tell him they have no intelligence officer on a mercenary ship.
Back on the ship Picard stages a mutiny and gets Baran to kill himself with his control device before leading them off to Vulcan for their money. The Vulcan insists in beaming down alone but Picard refuses. She then reveals he is a starfleet officer and the crew turn on him as fast as they turned on Baran. They all beam down together and she assembles the artifact and kills the two mercs, but just as she is about to kill Picard Worf and Riker arrive with a security team. Picard tells them to only think peaceful thoughts and her weapon is totally useless on them. She collapses at her failure and is arrested by Vulcan authorities.
Review: Not as complicated as the first half, this one goes straight for the action. Unlike season ending two part episodes this one clearly had a plan for how it would end from the very beginning. Not an all time great this set of episodes still manage to be very entertaining.
7 out of 10
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