The Starship Enterprise, NCC-1701-D, is en-route to rendezvous with
the SS Tsiolkovsky. The SS Tsiolkovsky is currently studying the collapse of a Red Giant into a
White Dwarf. The Enterprise receives a weird hail from the ship, and Picard deduces that nothing
is all it seems aboard the ship. The crew soon hears an escape hatch being blown out and Picard
orders Riker to investigate.
When the ship is within transporter range, Riker
and his away-team beam over to the Tsiolkovsky and discover a horrifying truth, which Data
recalls a wild party. Riker splits the team up, while he and Data search the computer data.
When they the viewer repaired, they discover the horrifying truth. Data was correct, the crew
were indeed sucked out into space through the open emergency hatch. Soon, Tasha reports from
Engineering and informs Riker that Engineering has been frozen. When Riker orders her to
elaborate, she deduces that someone may have tampered with the environmental controls.
Geordi, meanwhile, enters the crew quarters. Like
Engineering, he discovers the room frozen and every occupants frozen to death. He then
discovers a body inside the sonic shower. Riker soon reports their findings to the Captain, and
informs Picard that all eighty people on board the Tsiolkovsky is dead.
------
Later, the Enterprise downloads information from the Tsiolkovsky
into their own computer banks, to learn more about the Red Giant that they were studying. In
Sickbay, Captain Picard asks Dr. Crusher what could've happened over at the Tsiolkovsky. Beverly
can only give a vague answer as to what happened, ranging from mass hysteria to delusion. Picard
then orders the away-team back, setting the Transporters for full bacterial containment. Her
orders Dr. Crusher to begin immediate examination of the team, once they arrive.
Upon the arrival of the away-team, Dr. Crusher
immediately examines them. Data is perfect in every way and Dr. Crusher suggests that he be
written in a new biomechanical text. Data later informs her that he's already written in
several biomechanical texts. Geordi is next, and after Dr. Crusher examines him, she gives him
a clean bill of health. She soon notices that Geordi is starting to perspire. When she asks him
why he is sweating, Geordi's behavior goes from courteous to angry. He suggests that she
deliberately turned up the heat in Sickbay. She confines Geordi to Sickbay to run some more
tests and informs Captain Picard.
On the Bridge, Riker orders Data to look up the
computer library on references to someone taking a showering in his or her clothing. Data
informs Riker that it may take some time for the computer to gather such information. Data is
worried that he may have boasted to Dr. Crusher about being written in the biomechanical texts
and informs Riker so.
Meanwhile, in Sickbay, Dr. Crusher continues to
examine Geordi, but is baffled when the instruments show nothing peculiar, when clearly the
lieutenant is suffering. As she goes to her lab for further analysis, Geordi manages to slip
out of Sickbay, leaving his combadge behind. When Beverly returns, she is horrified to see
Geordi absent and informs security of his disappearance.
Geordi is, in fact, in Wesley Crusher's quarters.
The young Wes shows the lieutenant his science project, a modified tractor beam emitter, which
in essense, is very much like the tractor beam on the ship. Wesley also shows the lieutenant a
little gadget, that can mimic the voice of the Captain, ordering the young boy control of the
ship, since the Captain won't allow him on the Bridge. Soon, Geordi touches Wesley, passing the
infection onto him and immediately begins to feel strange. He then leaves the baffled young
boy's quarters.
Later, Geordi is in the Observation Lounge. Lt.
Tasha Yar discovers him and orders Security to their location. Soon, Geordi confesses to the
lieutenant, that he longs to see normal vision and takes off his VISOR. A concerned Lt. Yar
informs Geordi that they must get to Sickbay. During all this, Geordi has touched Tasha as
well, passing his infection onto her.
------
In Sickbay, Lt. Yar informs Picard what happened in the Observation
Lounge and how the Lieutenant longed for normal sight. Picard thanks the Lieutenant, and before
the Lieutenant leaves, she starts to feel odd, thanks to her contact with Geordi. Picard soon
shares this information with the Doctor and she is curious, as he hasn't mentioned the longing
of normal vision in his files. Picard asks Counselor Troi if he can sense anything in the
Lieutenant and the counselor informs the Captain that all she can feel in him are confusion and
delusion, much like intoxication, only more powerful.
On the Bridge, Data's progress into Commander
Riker's query seems fruitless. When Riker suggests that its like looking for a needle in a hay
stack, Data is puzzled. Riker corrects his mistake by saying that he should've said
proverbially. When Data tries to explain the proverb, he hits upon the word historical, which
triggers Riker's mind and soon asks Data to expand his search to include historical accounts of
all the past Enterprise's. Soon, Data touches upon the record when James T. Kirk's crew was
infected the Psi-2000 virus, whilst they were studying the collapse of a planet to the stars
gravitational pull, ("The Naked Time"). Captain Picard
is perplexed by Riker's findings and relays the information down to Sickbay, including a cure
for the disease, which Dr. McCoy found just in time. Dr. Crusher is relieved when told of this
information. Picard soon realizes that they are dealing with an alcoholic intoxicated crew.
When Deanna Troi visits her quarters, she finds it
a mess as clothes lie on the floor. She soon find Tasha going through her clothes and asking
for advice on what looks best on her. The counselor soon feels the same emotions as that in
Lieutenant LaForge, confusion and delusion. When Tasha touches Deanna, she tells the baffled
counselor not to worry about it, as she'll find what she's looking for in the ship's store. A
concerned Deanna informs the Captain that Tasha has been infected as well, but Picard reminds
the counselor that its more like alcohol acting like an intoxicated and Deanna confirms.
In Sickbay, Dr. Crusher works laboriously to find a
cure for the crew, based on the cure from the old computer. It's going slowly for her. She soon
finds her son in Sickbay, telling her what he can do with his modified tractor beam emitter. A
concerned mother, she tells her son to remain in quarters until this crisis is over. Wesley
confirms, although he tells her mother that he feels hot, indicating that he has the disease.
Picard soon asks Beverly if she's come up with a cure yet, and the Doctor informs him that its
going slow, and Picard orders her to hurry it along, before it devours rest of the ship.
On the rest of the ship, the entire crew seems to
be effected by this mysterious virus, with crewmembers randomly kissing in the corridors with
each other. Soon, the Chief Engineer is called to the Bridge, thanks to Wesley's little gadget.
When Assistant Engineer Shimoda is left, Wesley summons him to Sickbay. The Assistant is
worried that no one will be left to look after Engineering, but Wesley assures him that he will
look after Engineering.
On the Bridge, a perplexed Captain watches as his
Chief Engineer strides onto the Bridge, reporting as ordered. Picard is puzzled as he ordered
no such thing and orders the Chief Engineer back to Engineering in case they need the engines
to get them out of here. Soon, Wesley Crusher makes a ship wide announcement giving him total
control of the ship, and thanks the Captain. An angry Captain is perplexed at the recent
announcement.
------
With Wesley commandeering the ship, Picard is angry at the young
boy. Picard orders Riker down to Engineering to find out what the boy is doing. Picard,
meanwhile, tries to get the boy to listen to reason, by explaining to him that Captain's control
their own ship. Wesley counteracts his point by saying that he doesn't control the ship, he gets
someone else to do it for him. He soon asks the Captain what he wants done, and the Captain
explains that he must get his ship's control so that he can lock a tractor-beam onto it so that
they can tow it with them if they have to. Excited by the prospect of using a tractor-beam,
Wesley ends communication by saying that he'll do it himself. Worf soon reports that he is
getting strange readings from the star. Soon, the Bridge Conn even leaves his post, apparently
effected by the virus. Picard watches as one by one his crew is succumbed to this dreadful
virus.
In Engineering, Riker reports that Wesley has
hooked up a repulsor beam blocking the doorway to Engineering. Annoyed, Picard orders Riker to
shut down the power, and the Chief Engineer informs him that it will take some time. Soon,
Wesley has locked a tractor-beam onto the Tsiolkovsky. In Sickbay, Dr. Crusher tries the
formula for the cure from the old Enterprise. The cure should work instantaneously, but Geordi
still feels the effect of the virus and longs for normal site. Dr. Crusher realizes the cure
isn't working.
On the Bridge, reports of the crew's infection
continue to spread. Lt. Worf reports that someone is giving a lecture on metaphysics on the
comsystem. Data, meanwhile, recites an old Earth poem, being played by the Shuttlebay
controller. When Picard hears Data's poem, he is angered, and attempts to contact Security. His
response is met by an infected officer on duty, and when he attempts to contact Tasha Yar, he
is met by the same response. Picard asks Data how much danger there could be from the collapse
of the star and Data responds that they can outmanuever any foreign object hurled toward the
ship at warp one. He then orders Data to get the intoxicated Lieutenant to the Bridge
immediately, and Data responds.
In the Lieutenant's quarters, Data finds that Tasha
has emerged half-naked. He informs her that he is here to take her to the Bridge, and Tasha
asks him when. Data assumes immediately, and orders the intoxicated Lieutenant to get into
uniform. Tasha informs him that she got out of uniform just for him, and asks him how he's
pleasuring ability goes. Data explains that he's fully functional and that he has multiple
techniques required to apply the most amount of pleasure. Tasha is happy and she leads him into
her bedroom where Data is about to perform the most pleasurable experience of his android life.
In Engineering, Riker and Chief Engineer MacDougal
continue to work on the forcefield surrounding the entrance to Engineering. Meanwhile, an
intoxicated Troi seeks Riker's attention and Riker goes to her, unaware that she has the virus.
Troi informs him that she can hear all the voices of the ship's crew all in her head and that
she can't get it out of her mind. Concerned by her illness, Riker carries her to Sickbay, while
Deanna continue to get Riker's attention.
In Sickbay, Riker puts Deanna down on a biobed
and goes to Dr. Crusher's laboratory to call for assistance. He informs her that Deanna needs
her help and Dr. Crusher tells Riker that the formula from the old Enterprise didn't work.
Riker is stunned. He then touches the Doctor, passing on the virus to him and Crusher is
stunned. Since Deanna has the virus, and he has touched her, he has unknowingly passed the
virus onto the Doctor. Riker soon exits Sickbay to go back down to Engineering and informs the
bewildered Doctor that he must restore the ship's computer system before none of this actually
matters.
------
With just about seventy per-cent of the ship infected by this
Tsiolkovsky virus, Picard's hands are tied. The Assistant Chief Engineer has pulled all the
isolinear chips from the ship's main computer and plays with them like its a toy, and Wesley
continues to commandeer the ship. Riker and Chief Engineer MacDougal continues to unlock the
forcefield blocking their entrance to the Engineering office. Their first attempt, although
promising, fails and they continue with their efforts.
In Sickbay, Dr. Crusher continues to work on a
cure for the whole ship, while at the same time feeling the effects of the virus, which she
doesn't want distracting her at the time being. On the Bridge, Picard finds it more and more
difficult getting any results from the crew. When Data arrives on the Bridge, happy, Picard is
glad to his Lieutenant Commander still function. Although when he talks to him, he soon
realizes that even Data is affected by this rampant virus. Picard can't believe the android is
affected as well, and when Picard attempts to remind the android that this infection is a human
trait, Data reminds him that he is alike as well. Soon, an infected Dr. Crusher comes to the
Bridge, requiring the Captain's urgent attention. They soon head for Picard's Ready-Room.
In the Ready-Room, the virus has also affected the
Doctor. Picard asks Beverly if she has found a cure for it yet. Not interested in the cure,
Crusher demands Picard's attention, as she is a woman and hasn't been without a husband for a
long time. When Picard gets close to her, he is infected as well, but knows that duty must come
first and tells the Doctor that their romantic relationship can wait when this crisis is over.
Picard goes back to the Bridge while Crusher goes back to Sickbay. Worf soon informs Commander
Riker of the Captain's infection. Riker tells the Klingon that he's on his way, leaving the
Chief Engineer by herself to work on the forcefield problem.
On the Bridge, Worf soon reports that the star is
collapsing and a huge chuck of the surface material is hurtling toward them. Riker orders Worf
to get them out of there, but the controls aren't working. In Engineering, Chief Engineer
MacDougal has managed to short out the forcefield to the Engineer's office, much to the
surprise of the young Wesley Crusher. The Chief informs the Captain that Assistant Engineer
Shimoda has pulled out the isolinear chips from the main computer. Worf reports that the star
material will impact in fourteen minutes, but the Chief Engineer can't replace the chips in
that time. Soon, Wesley mentions that Data could do, and seeing the opportunity, Riker
immediately rushes the intoxicated Data down to Engineering.
------
With the star's surface hurling toward at a fast speed, Riker takes
Data down to Engineering to replace the isolinear chip into the ship's main computer. Data
greets Wesley, but Riker reminds the android that there is no time for courtesy. Soon, Data gets
to work on the isolinear chips, while Wesley tries to bring main viewer online. He watches in
horror as the surface of the star hurls toward them.
Picard goes to Sickbay to ask the intoxicated Dr.
Crusher if she's come up with a cure yet. The intoxicated Doctor informs him that she's
modified the cure from the old Enterprise, and goes to inject Geordi with it. The drug
immediately takes shape, as Geordi asks the Doc, what she put in it. Happy with the results,
she injects herself and the Captain with it and informs Picard that she'll make hypo's for the
others, while Picard takes the hypo he has down to Engineering.
In Engineering, Data continues to work on the
isolinear chips. Picard arrives with the newly created vaccination and starts to administer it.
Worf reports that they have nine minutes left before impact and when Riker asks Data if he can
make it, Data replies no. Picard injects Data with the serum, and soon Data recovers. Soon,
Wesley tries to give Data a helping hand, by sending a repulsor beam to the Tsiolkovsky to push
it out of their way, if only he can think straight. Wesley is soon successful, and they watch
as the Tsiolkovsky explodes on impact of the rock, giving them just few more minutes to spare.
With just seconds to spare, Data is successful at replacing the last isolinear chip and Riker
orders Bridge to engage the engines. The Enterprise moves out of the way just in time to avoid
collision.
On the Bridge, Beverly continues to administer the
cure, and Picard soon announces that they soon congratulate Wesley as well, as it was he who
gave them the extra minute or two. Worf is baffled, but Dr. Crusher reminds him anyway, much to
the bemusement of the recovered Geordi. Soon, all of the senior staff return to the Bridge, and
Tasha reminds Data that their incident never happened. Picard reminds the staff that they have
a fine crew, if they avoid temptation. He soon orders Riker to head for their next assignment,
much to Riker's delight.
