Star Trek The Next Generation
Episode: 49
Season: 3
First aired in: 1989
Stardate: -

Data must persuade colonists to move away from the planet that has been their home for generations.

This was the first episode in which Data is been playing the violin.

Detailed synopsis:
Commander Data is performing in the first concert performed in Ten Forward. On his way in he sees Captain Picard and Doctor Crusher waiting for the concert to begin, he suggest that they attend the second concert, because his fellow players say their is no feeling in the way play. Picard tells him that he shouldn't display such an excessive honesty, because that could undermine both his self-confidence and authority.

The Enterprise-D receives a automated message from the Sheliak Corporate informing them that their is a human settlement on Tau Cygna 5, which belongs to the Sheliak. The Federation has 5 days to remove the humans before the Sheliak will eradicate them. The Federation does not have a record of a colony on Tau Cygna 5, but Jean-Luc Picard doesn't think that the Sheliak Corporate would contact the Federation after 111 years to send them on a ghost hunt.

When they arrive in the Tau Sigma System they find the 5th planet to be a class-H planet with high levels of hyperonic radiation, which are deathly to humans. Nevertheless they find a colony on the planet.

Commander Data goes down to the planet in shuttlepod Onizuka to prepare the colonists for evacation, because he is immune to the radiation's effect. On the planet's surface he is told that the original settlers were from the SS Artemis enroute to Septemis Minor, when they suffered a guidance system failure. They landed on Tau Signa 5, in 2274, were 1/3 of the original colonists were killed because of the hyperonic radiation. But they managed to adapt and build a triving colony on the desert planet.

Gosheven, the colony's leader, refuses to listen to Data, partly because he is an android, partly because he is so proud of what they have accomplished. While Data tries to convince the colonists to leave, Picard tries to reason with the Sheliak, with little success. Unable to use the transporters because of the radiation Picard requests a colony transport ship, but the ship won't be available for another 3 weeks.

Picard descides to intercept the Sheliak transporter and leaves Data behind to persuade into leaving. Data tells Riker that he doesn't think he can "get the job done" and Riker tells him that all the 15,253 colonists lives depend on him and to be creative.

Data befriends Ard'rian McKenzie who suggest that he uses reverse psychology. Gosheven allows Data to speak on a meeting, were he describes their glorious death. He almost convinces them, but Gosheven manages to get most people on his side. Although some people start listening to Data, who calls a meeting in Ard'rian's house. They people present their agree with Data till Gosheven disables Data with an electric charge.

Meanwhile, Picard intercepts the Sheliak transporter. Were he requests a meeting according to the Treaty of Armens, he is granted a meeting but the Shelia don't want to give them more time and beams them back to the Enterprise-D. Picard starts reviewing the treaty to find something in their favoir. After seeing the treaty Worf says he would rather fight.

Data's self-diagnostic circuits repair the damage and he descides that instead of only talking he will need to do something to convince the settlers. He uses parts from himself to modify a phaser so it will work even when it is exposed to hyperonic radiation. He aks Ard'rian to tell Gosheven that he will destroy their water pumping station, on which the colony depends. Gosheven has a security force to protect the station, but Data stuns all of them with his phaser. Switching to the kill setting he blows up the pumping station, telling the colonists that he is only one andriod with one weapon, but that the Shelia will come with a lot more than one and with more powerfull weapons. They could even obliverate them from orbit. This is finally enough to convince Gosheven that he needs to evacuate the colony.

Picard find a section that allows for arbitration and asks for the Grisella to arbitrate, which are currently in their hibernation and won't awake for another 6 months. The Shelia won't except this and Picard declares they the treaty cancelled and closes the channel. After a few second the Shelia hail them, Picard doesn't hurry to answer the communication. He first walks to the Enterprise-D dedication plaque looks for dust, before answering the communication in which the Shelia agree on giving them 3 weeks.

When Data wants to return to the Enterprise-D Ard'rian expresses feeling for him, which Data can't return because he doesn't have any feelings. But he does kiss her, because she "looked like she needed it".

Back on the Enterprise-D Data find Picard in his ready room listening to a recording of Data's concert. They discuss the feeling in Data's play. Data explains that he doesn't have feeling in his play but simply combines two styles, by Jascha Heifetz and Trenka Bronkin. Picard argues that these two styles are very different and that Data successfully combined them, which indicates a certain feeling.

Guest cast:
Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien
Eileen Seeley as Ard'rian
Mart McChesney as Sheliak
Richard Allen as Noe
Mark L. Taylor as Haritath
Grainger Hines as Gosheven

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