tlynch@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Timothy W. Lynch) (05/30/91)
WARNING: The following post contains spoiler information regarding this
week's TNG episode, "The Mind's Eye". You know the rest. :-)
Geordi's en route to Risa for an artificial intelligence conference and some
general R&R. He tries to get comfortable on the shuttle, selecting some
appropriate music and playing games with the computer. Suddenly, this idyllic
setting is spoiled, when a Romulan Warbird decloaks right off the shuttle's
bow. Geordi puts up shields and tries to call for help--but his
communications are jammed, and his shields quickly fail. A Romulan
transporter beam yanks him off the shuttle...
Several days later. (Geordi's supposed to be gone for quite some time, so
there's no concern about where he is.) The Enterprise is heading for the
Kriosian system with Klingon Special Emissary Kell. Krios, an outlying
Klingon world, is fighting for independence, and there are "enough problems on
the home planet" that the Klingons don't want to divert resources to such a
trivial rebellion. Why is the Enterprise wanted? Well, the Governor of Krios
is claiming that the Federation is arming the rebels, and Kell is heading to
look at the proof. It was Kell's idea to bring along the Enterprise,
primarily because of the help Picard has lent to the Klingons in the past.
Picard assigns Worf to keep Kell briefed, despite Kell's objections that
Worf's discommendation make the situation "awkward."
Meanwhile, Geordi is being broken by the Romulans. Sub-Commander Taibak
[note: I'm guessing at his rank, but since his superior is a Commander, it
makes sense], with a shadowy partner, welcomes the captive and bound Geordi.
After a double for Geordi (not an exact duplicate, but one looking fairly
similar) heads off to Risa with instructions not to enjoy himself TOO much,
Taibak removes Geordi's VISOR and hooks a machine directly to Geordi's visual
cortex. The result of this is that Taibak can beam images directly to
Geordi's brain, with all the attendant effects on Geordi's body and psyche.
First he is shown suffering, then relief, then suffering again: "When our
work is done, LaForge will act normally, totally unaware of his
conditioning--a perfect tool for our purpose," says Taibak--and there will be
no physical evidence of their work at all. Geordi howls in agony as Taibak
alters the settings once more...
Kell and Worf examine the details of the rebellion. Two neutral freighters
have been attacked (1 Ferengi, 1 Cardassian), and the pattern would suggest
the rebels are hiding in a nearby asteroid belt, which shields them from
sensors. After Worf bristles at a suggestion that the Federation may be
helping them, Kell apologizes. He then thanks Worf on behalf of "some members
of the High Council", for killing Duras. He dismisses the fact that Worf did
so for personal reasons, not political ones: "What matters is that you acted
on that day--as a true Klingon."
Geordi then passes his first test, and kills a fake Chief O'Brien in a Romulan
mock-up of 10-Forward. Although he eventually does so, he hesitates enough
that Taibak orders another session.
Days later. The Enterprise is at Krios, and Geordi has just returned,
ostensibly from Risa. He banters with Data a bit (chuckling when Data, true
to form, completely misses a joke), and reports back to Picard on the bridge,
where Picard tells him they'll need his help shortly in analyzing whatever
evidence Governor Vagh comes up with. Picard and Kell leave to beam down, and
Data detects a brief "blip" of E-band radiation, which is rare enough that
Riker orders him to check it out before Riker too leaves for beam-down.
Governor Vagh is NOT a happy Klingon. He tells Picard, Riker and Kell that
Federation medical supplies have been found in rebel strongholds. Riker
points out that the Federation has never restricted access to their medical
supplies--and Vagh responds by asking about their weapons and tossing a phaser
rifle to Picard. It appears to be legitimate Federation issue, and after
Vagh agrees to let them take it up to the ship to examine it ("I have hundreds
more," he says), he angrily points out that the Federation has much to gain by
Kriosian independence, for Krios is the only colony close to the
Federation/Klingon border, and would thus be a valuable buffer zone in case of
attack. After he accuses Picard of "speaking the lies of a tar-kekh!" and
Picard responds in kind, Picard, Riker, and Kell beam up.
Geordi, meanwhile, gets back to Engineering. Everything's running smoothly,
so he leaves to "take care of something." That something, as it turns out, is
to go to 10-Forward, where he walks up to O'Brien and spills a drink on him.
He apologizes, and O'Brien dismisses it with a smile and goes off to change.
Later, Geordi and Data test the phaser rifle. Everything looks legitimate on
the first test, but the energy output of the crystal is TOO efficient. They
check the waveform pattern, and conclude that the rifle was charged via forced
pulse, which is NOT Federation standard. There are 327 systems known that use
that method, but Geordi knocks that down with a little common sense. "Who has
the most to gain from a conflict between the Federation and the Klingon
Empire?"
Clunk. Geordi tosses the rifle back onto the table down in Vagh's chambers.
"The Romulans." His argument is persuasive, but Vagh is still skeptical, and
says that he's going to have his own people check it out. The Enterprise
people and Kell beam back up. Data calls Riker over, having detected a second
E-band "blip", but with a different intensity, thus ruling out a stationary
source. Worried that it may be some form of Romulan communication, Riker has
Data retune the scatters to pinpoint a direction next time it occurs.
In cargo bay 4, Geordi reprograms some chips, diverts power to the
transporters from a secondary system, diverts transporter control to planetary
sensors, and beams off a cache of weapons. Once he's ascertained that the
computer is erasing all memory of having done this, he leaves--and arrives on
the bridge just in time to hear a VERY angry Vagh accuse Picard of smuggling
arms to the rebels. Vagh, understandably, will not listen to Picard's claims
of innocence, and orders them not to leave orbit, sending up an attack cruiser
and 2 Birds of Prey to punctuate his point.
Data quickly ascertains that there was an unauthorized transport, but nobody
can track it down as of yet. After Kell says he's managed to talk Vagh into
checking with the High Council (gaining only a few hours at best), Geordi and
Data search through the power systems. They eventually find that the power
was diverted from a replicator waveguide, and trace it to the cargo bay.
O'Brien checks out the cargo transporter and finds no evidence of any
tampering, thus suggesting that the evidence was erased. Worf asks who might
be capable of doing this, and Geordi lists only 4 names: himself, Lt. Kosta,
Data, and O'Brien. Everybody but Geordi has an alibi, though, and Geordi
gives his word that he was in his quarters alone. They begin a detailed scan
on every chip to try to hunt down a trail.
Geordi and Data brief Picard and Kell a short time later: the chips were
programmed to erase all evidence of operator commands shortly after transport.
They're working on the tiny residuals left by the chips to track it down. As
Data is called away by Riker (a third E-band blip, which Kell asks about with
great curiosity), Picard asks Kell to tell Vagh that they're doing all they
can--and that if necessary, he _will_ defend his ship. Kell agrees, and
suggests inviting Vagh up to observe the investigation firsthand. Picard
agrees to that, and bids the ambassador farewell.
Kell is eating in his quarters, when the door sounds. "Come in, Mr. LaForge."
Geordi does. "The investigation is moving faster than we expected; you're in
danger of being exposed. I will transport to the surface and when I return,
I'll have Governor Vagh with me. Your captain and I will bring him to the
cargo bay--I want you to kill him there, in front of witnesses. Use a hand
phaser. When he is dead, you will claim that you acted on behals of Starfleet
in support of Kriosian independence." "I understand," says Geordi, and leaves
Kell to enjoy his meal.
That evening, Geordi wakes from a nightmare and calls O'Brien--but then
doesn't understand why he did so and apologizes. He goes to visit Beverly for
insomnia problems, but she finds nothing physically wrong (aside from a very
slight, not-at-all serious abnormality in the visual cortex) and gives him a
somnetic inducer to help in the short term. Kell and Vagh, with two guards,
beam up and are escorted to the cargo bay.
Data, meanwhile, has pinpointed the transmissions. The first and third
occurrences came from within the Enterprise itself, while the second was
planetside. He speculates that it's being used by Romulan agents somehow, but
needs more to go on. Is there any match with any Romulan form of
communication? Negative. Any match with ANY known communication? Negative.
Any match with ANYTHING? Yes--a human brainwave pattern. "What sort of
receiver would be capable of processing these signals?" "A system designed to
modify the electromagnetic spectrum and carry those messages directly to the
human brain," replies the computer.
In a reflection of Geordi's computer console in his quarters, we see Geordi
pick up a phaser and leave his quarters.
Data checks Geordi's shuttle--everything seems to be shipshape. Geordi is in
the turbolift.
In the cargo bay, O'Brien certifies that that is the _only_ transporter that
has been tampered with. Geordi leaves the lift and walks down the corridor to
the bay.
Data examines the shuttle more carefully, and finds evidence of microscopic
stresses which suggest a tractor beam. Geordi enters the bay, visually
follows Vagh, and is interrupted by O'Brien, who asks him for some help.
Data finds that the computer chips in the shuttle have some subtle flaws.
"Probable cause?" "Replication." Further, replication with patterns
identical to those used by Romulan replicators. O'Brien leaves Geordi, who
begins looking over Vagh again.
Data hails Geordi, but gets no response. After determining that Geordi is in
the cargo bay, he hails Worf. "Data to Lt. Worf: Priority One." "Go ahead."
"Take Commander LaForge into custody immediately." "Sir?" "That is an
order."
Worf attempts to do so, but is stopped by Vagh's guards. He calls out a
warning, and Picard deflects Geordi's shot just in time. Vagh is shaken, but
convinced the Federation is treacherous, until Data arrives to explain that
Geordi was acting under Romulan conditioning: the E-band signals were being
sent directly to Geordi's brain. When Kell demands to know who was sending
these signals to Geordi, Data replies that the signals must be very
close-range. Only two people were with Geordi all three times the signals
were detected: Picard, and Ambassador Kell. Kell refuses to be searched for
a transmitter by anyone on board. Vagh agrees--"We will take the ambassador
with us...and search him ourselves." Kell requests asylum, which Picard will
be happy to grant--"WHEN you have been absolved of this crime." Kell, Vagh,
and the two guards depart.
We close with Geordi and Troi. Geordi is visibly shaken by his experience, in
part because he vividly remembers his experiences ON RISA. Troi manages to
break through the bare surface level of the conditioning, but tells Geordi
this will take a long time. But they will reconstruct his memory eventually,
together.
NEXT WEEK:
Data's in wuvvv...I'll wait and see. (Like I have a choice in the
matter...:-) )
Tim Lynch (Cornell's first Astronomy B.A.; one of many Caltech grad students)
BITNET: tlynch@citjuliet
INTERNET: tlynch@juliet.caltech.edu
UUCP: ...!ucbvax!tlynch%juliet.caltech.edu@hamlet.caltech.edu
"Motives? Who cares of motives? Humans, perhaps."
--Ambassador Kell
--
Copyright 1991, Timothy W. Lynch. All rights reserved, but feel free to ask...