I always remember this as the episode where the captain kills Tuvok. Now of course I know it is Tim Russ playing a human terrorist, but without additional makeup he will always be Tuvok to me. It seems unlikely that the baryon sweep that kills most of the terrorists and almost kills the captain would be carried out without some sort of sensor sweep first to make sure the ship is actually empty. But I am sure it was some sort of interference or something, but still. Clearly the best parts of this episode are the captain running around out of uniform defeating the terrorists with all sorts of traps and improvised weapons.
The episode opens with the Enterprise clearing out all personnel to prepare for a baryon sweep to reduce the radiation buildup from the ship spending so much time at warp. Picard is running around taking care of all the last minute arrangements when he runs into Data who tries out his small talk routine on him. Picard isn't that impressed, but tells Data to be sure and talk to Commander Hutch at the station they are all beaming down to. It seems this Hutch has a reputation for dominating conversations and Worf and Geordi both race to avoid his reception, but Worf beats Geordi to the punch. Down at the base Hutch proves to be exactly what they were all worried about, but Picard hears there are horses on the planet and rushes back to the ship for his saddle. He notices an open panel with some cut fiber optic cables. Then he encounters an armed man who looks a lot like Tuvok, but he defeats him somewhat ironically with a Vulcan neck pinch. He races to the transporter, but it shuts down just as he is about to get off the ship.
Back at the reception Riker manages to get Data and Hutch together and they at least are having a great time. Picard meanwhile tries to interrogate Tuvok but can't get anything out of him so he knocks Tuvok out with a hypospray. Picard keeps looking around but is captured and taken to main engineering where he pretends to be Mot, the barber. He discovers that the terrorists are trying to steal highly unstable trilithium resin from the warp core. Since they didn't bother to search the barber he managed to keep Tuvoks weapon and uses it to cause a power surge and escapes into a Jefferies tube. He is followed by one of the terrorists but kills him by trapping him in the path of the baryon sweep. Back at the reception Geordi has noticed something odd under a table and suddenly the locals pull out guns. Geordi and Hutch both get blasted and it appears Hutch has been killed.
Back at the reception Beverley has rigged Geordis visor so emit an ultrasonic blast that will knock out everyone by Data. The plan works and Data manages to get control of the station, and notices a small incoming ship. The head terrorist realizes they can't stay in engineering long and gets her assistant to modify a container for the resin they need. They then start making their way to Ten Forward. Meanwhile Picard has made his way to Worfs quarters and gotten his cross bow. He makes some poison for the bolts and also makes some sort of explosive powder. Picard kills another terrorist with the crossbow but is then again captured. The head terrorist kills her assistant and along with Picard and the one other survivor make it to Ten Forward. But Picard has laid a trap and an explosive goes off on the floor. Picard and the head terrorist get in a fight but she escapes with the resin. Picard calls down to the station and stops the sweep just in time and also tells them they don't need to worry about the ship, we see he has taken out the control rod for the containment vessel. Moments later the ship explodes.
Review: It isn't often that we get to see the captain kill six people, but to be fair they are terrorists or profiteers ala Hans Gruber so it isn't exactly a tragedy. Patrick Stewart is amazing as always and makes this a very enjoyable episode.
7 out of 10
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