STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
Season 5, Episode 15

Power Play

Series: The Next Generation - (1987-1994)
Season: 5
Episode #: 5.15
Production #: 40275-215
Original Airdate: 02/24/1992

Writer(s): Paul Ruben, Maurice Hurley, Rene Balcer, Herbert J. Wright, and Brannon Braga
Director(s): David Livingston

Guest Stars
Rosalind Chao as Keiko O'Brien
Colm Meaney as Chief Miles O'Brien
Michelle Forbes as Ensign Ro Laren
Ryan Reid as the Transporter Technician
Majel Barrett as the Voice of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D Computer

Uncredited Guest Stars
Joe Bauman as Crewman Garvey
Christine Baur as a Civilian
Bowman as a Science Division Officer
Michael Braveheart as Ltjg. Martinez
Camara as an Operations Division Officer
Cameron as Ensign Kellogg
Gerard David, Jr. as an Operations Division Ensign
Elliot Durant III as an Operations Division Ensign
Gina Gallante as a Science Division Officer
Keith Gearhart as a Science Division Officer
Rosine "Ace" Hatem as a Civilian
Christie Haydon as a Command Division Ensign
Hunt as an Operations Division Officer
Gary Hunter as a Science Division Officer
Mark Lentry as a Sciences Division Lieutenant
Marin as a Command Division Officer
Debbie Marsh as a Command Division Ensign
Holly McBee as a Command Division Officer
Melba as a Civilian
Lorine Mendell as Lt. Diana Giddings
Jay Montalvo as an Operations Division Officer
Michael Moorehead as a Sciences Divsion Ensign
Denise Lynne Roberts as Command Division Officer Patti
Joyce Robinson as Ensign Gates
Lincoln Simonds as an Operations Division Officer
The Tadeski Twins as Molly O'Brien
Talbot as a Ten Forward Waitress
Patricia Tallman as an Operations Division Officer
Théyard as a Science Division Officer
Guy Vardaman as Lt. Darien Wallace
Christina Wegler Miles as a Command Division Ensign
Harry Young as a Science Division Officer

Stardate: 45571.2

Synopsis

A subspace distress signal that seems to be emanating from a Starfleet ship lures the U.S.S. Enterprise to a seemingly uninhabited moon. The last recorded Starfleet presence in the area was the disappearance of the U.S.S. Essex two centuries before, but Troi insists she senses life. A fierce storm makes beaming to the surface impossible, so Riker, Troi and Data attempt to land on the moon in a shuttlecraft. The craft crashes, Riker breaks his arm and all communication with the Enterprise is lost. Still, Troi feels something powerful, and she decides it is approaching with a particularly severe-looking storm cloud. Meanwhile, on the Enterprise, O'Brien volunteers to risk his life and transport through the storm to rescue the others. As he attempts to beam them off the moon, the cloud envelops them and strange energy rings appear around the group.

O'Brien is successful, and the Away Team returns. Once back on board however, Data, Troi and O'Brien insist the Enterprise conduct a systematic survey of a polar region of the moon - a notion Riker, Picard and the rest of the crew consider absurd. When Riker questions their reasons, the three stage a violent revolt and take command of the ship.

[ Screencap Index ]

By holding crew members hostage, Data, Troi and O'Brien are able to force Picard to listen to their demands and change the direction of the ship. Meanwhile, Dr. Crusher and Riker determine that he was not affected because his broken arm somehow repelled whatever force inhabited the other three crew members. Later, the force reveals itself when Troi, the leader of the mutinous trio, identifies herself as Captain Bryce Shumar of the Starship Essex.

Troi explains that the spirits of the Essex crew were trapped in the magnetic currents that surround the moon when the ship disappeared two centuries before. By safely transporting their bones back to earth, Picard will free them from their spiritual imprisonment. But their violent behavior prevents Picard from believing their intentions are as friendly as they say. At the same time, Dr. Crusher decides that delivering a powerful jolt of pain to the bodies of the three may have the same effect that Riker's broken arm did and ward off the forces. Geordi and Ensign Ro work on the computer to deliver a shock to the three, but Data is not hit. The android then threatens to kill everyone in the room, and Picard weakly agrees to take them where they want to go.

As they near the moon's surface again, Riker reminds the trio that the same problems that prevented them from beaming to the surface in the first place still exist. O'Brien says he can successfully reach the moon with a Transporter Pad, and the three take off for a cargo bay with three hostages, including Picard. Once in the cargo bay, Troi reveals that her people are actually condemned spirits, the moon is a condemned penal colony, and she plans to use the bodies of the Enterprise crew members as a means of escape. Picard insists he will open the cargo bay doors and kill himself rather than risk the lives of his crew. With no other choice, the spirits leave the Enterprise for their banishment on the moon, and Troi, Data and O'Brien are returned to normal.

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