tlynch@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Timothy W. Lynch) (02/21/91)
WARNING: The following article contains spoiler information pertinent to this
week's TNG episode, "First Contact". Anyone not wishing said spoilage would be
advised to back away slowly with their hands over their head. :-)
We begin with a hospital, where an unknown patient is being wheeled in for
treatment. He (definitely a he, for a beard is seen) is in with a severe head
blow, but before long, the physicians in attendance note some unusual things.
His cardiac organ, for example, is where they expected to find his digestive
tract. And if that weren't enough, he has too many fingers and toes. "What
are you?" asks a nurse, as the camera pans down to reveal...William Riker.
Later, when Riker (surgically altered to resemble the natives, Malkorians)
revives, he talks to the facility's director, Berel. He claims to be named
Rivas Jakara, and to be from the Marta community on the southern continent.
His many abnormalities (as well as the above, his cranial lobes are clearly a
surgical attachment) are attributed to a combination of birth defects and
cosmetic surgery to help with said defects. The assistant director, Nilrem, i
not impressed by the story, but Riker suggests that his "personal physician",
Dr. Crusher, is familiar with his ailments--unfortunately, he says, she's
taking a sabbatical, and probably can't be reached. Berel promises to try, an
prepares to leave. As he does so, though, he asks Riker about a phaser they
found on his clothing--Riker claims it's a toy he was bringing home for a
neighbor's child. And when Riker asks about his communicator (some "jewelry",
Berel tells him that nothing else has been seen.
After leaving Riker alone, Nilrem insists that Riker can only be a creature
from outer space, but Berel will have none of it, not wishing to inspire a
panic. He refuses to call Security, deciding to check his story and medical
history for any cases remotely similar--he also calls for 29-hour-a-day guard
on the room, and most importantly, that everything be kept _quiet_.
Later, the heads of the government are in conference. Chancellor Durken, after
hearing the end of Space Administrator Mirasta's report on warp technology (and
hearing her say she's within ten months of completion), gives his approval to
the final project, over the objections of Krola, Minister of Internal Security.
Krola insists that the people are not ready for so many changes in so short a
time, and that they are confused and frightened by space travel. Durken,
however, insists that he "will not allow them to remain in the dark ages," and
says that after the warp program is complete, _then_ they shall slow down a
bit, to let everyone adjust.
Mirasta retires to her lab--but before she's been there more than a few
minutes, a transporter beam appears, and two aliens appear: Picard and Troi.
They tell her that they come with information "about space, about the universe
you are preparing to enter"--in short, it's a first contact. They've come to
her first because she's a big name in the scientific community, and scientists
are generally more accepting of their arrival than others. Mirasta is
understandably stunned, but when Picard offers to prove their identity to her,
she eagerly agrees. "Picard to Enterprise--three to beam up."
She sees Ten-Forward (complete with a Bolean drinking at the bar), and sees her
world out the front window. She is impressed, and nearly giddy with
excitement. As a child, she dreamed of things like this--and now, she says,
she's still waiting for the planetarium "lights to come up, and for the program
to end." The conversation then turns to how they found out about her. As is
normal for a first-contact situation, they began by monitoring
broadcasts--music, journalism, humor, and so forth (the first, understandably,
elicits various reactions of amused horror by Mirasta). However, as that is
clearly an incomplete picture, they've sent down teams for surface
reconnaissance: specialists, trained for such things, and surgically altered
so that they can blend in. Mirasta understands, but believes most of her world
would not. She then discovers the difficulty which caused their contact to
come more precipitously than they would have liked: Riker, Picard's first
officer, is missing. She asks for (and receives) Riker's last location and
cover, but warns that because of Malkorian ideology (that their race is the
most advanced and superior in the universe), their arrival will be a massive
shock to the Malkorian system. She agrees to take Picard to visit Chancellor
Durken, but warns him not to speak of Riker or the surface teams, as Durken
would call in Krola, who has his own motives.
Back in the med-facility, rumors are flying, much to Berel's chagrin. Berel
talks to "Mr. Jakara", telling him that there is no such Dr. Crusher ("on this
planet, anyway"), and that the address he gave was of a restaurant where no one
had ever heard of him. He out-and-out asks Riker if he is an alien, but Riker
dismisses it as preposterous. Berel admits that it is possible Riker's
"mutations" are just that, but says that Riker is definitely hiding something,
and that if he doesn't reveal it soon, the rumors could become more and more
dangerous.
Meanwhile, Durken is doing paperwork, when Mirasta comes in almost unannounced.
Durken is friendly, if busy, but Mirasta says, "Chancellor--I think you might
want to clear your afternoon schedule for this...", and brings in Picard.
Later, Picard is showing Mirasta and Durken the bridge. Both are quite
impressed by the technology (particularly Data), but soon Durken asks to speak
to Picard in private, as Mirasta elicits news from Data that Riker still has
not been found.
Durken enters Picard's ready room, where Picard pours some wine from his
brother's vineyard and proposes a toast. Durken congratulates Picard on his
adeptness with "the language of diplomacy", but says he is still not sure he
trusts all of this. Picard assures Durken that they are not conquerors, that
they only wish "a beginning", and that the pace of the contact is entirely up
to Durken, up to and including if he asks them to leave the planet forever. He
assures Durken that they will not interfere with the planet's natural course of
development, and adds that yes, that noninterference directive does include not
sharing their technology (but that this is for their benefit, not to maintain
Federation superiority). Durken, a bit overwhelmed, nonetheless believes that
today has been "a good day", and welcomes the contact.
Back in the hospital, Riker is about to smash a window in an escape attempt,
when a nurse stops him, claiming that it wouldn't work. She is convinced that
he *is* an alien, but is not afraid of him. She offers to help him escape--but
only if he makes love to her first. Riker protests, but apparently to no
avail. Some time later, she distracts the guards, and Riker tries to get away.
Unfortunately, the attempt is botched, and Riker is nearly killed by a mob
before Berel breaks it all up. His injuries have been aggravated, and Berel
preps him for surgery (but also calls Central Security).
Durken talks to his Cabinet of his contact with the Federation, meanwhile.
Krola is incensed that Durken can so easily "surrender" to these horrible
aliens, and dismisses Mirasta's assurances of their intentions as naivete. He
says that many people, himself included, are prepared to die to defend the old
traditions and ways, and reveals that "we have captured one of their spies!"
Mirasta, exercising as much damage control as she can, quickly tells Durken
everything she knows about Riker, and about the surface teams. Krola is
understandably thunderstruck that the aliens have been "influencing our young
people, stirring up dissent...", despite Mirasta's claims that they have merely
been gathering information. He tells Durken that Riker is being held at the
medical facility, and that he will soon revive.
Shortly thereafter, Krola and Mirasta visit Riker's room. Krola orders Berel
to revive him, using drugs that could be fatal given Riker's current condition.
Berel refuses: "...he is a living, intelligent being. I don't care if the
Chancellor himself calls down here. I have sworn an oath to do no harm, and I
will not." Krola promptly sets in motion orders to have Berel replaced.
Picard beams down, right on schedule, to talk to Durken, but soon finds that
Durken is rather upset by Picard's coverup of the survey teams. Picard takes
all the blame for the decision, refusing to blame Mirasta. He explains that
centuries ago, after a disastrous first-contact with the Klingon Empire led to
a bloody war, it was decided to send surface teams to get more concrete
information before making contact. He claims that he planned to tell Durken
eventually, but that observations indicated that the initial reaction would be
strongly negative. He admits that it was a mistake. "Yes," says Durken, "a
mistake I might have made in your place. I rather like it, actually." It
makes Picard seem more human. Durken refuses, however, to discuss Riker's
release just then.
In the hospital, meanwhile, Berel has been relieved of his duties. His
replacement, Nilrem, quickly revives Riker, who hears upon waking up that Krola
knows who and what he is. Krola agrees to send for Riker's people, but only
after getting a few answers.
In Durken's chambers, Durken chews out Mirasta for not trusting him enough to
tell him of the surface observers, but then listens as Mirasta tells him of
Krola's actions. He agrees that Riker should be interrogated, but is taken
aback to hear that without prompt medical help from his ship, Riker may not
survive the day.
Krola demands to know why the supposedly peaceful "conquerors" come bearing
weapons of such power as phasers, and doesn't believe the claim that they're
only defensive. He says that even if their goals are benevolent, they are
still a threat to Krola's way of life. In an attempt to force Durken to
permanently avoid relations with the Federation, he takes Riker's phaser, puts
it in Riker's left hand, and fires it, point-blank, at himself.
Nilrem and an aide find the two of them, but before much can be done, another
transporter beam appears, bearing Beverly, Worf, and a nurse. Beverly quickly
contacts Picard (now in Durken's office) and tells him that both Riker and
Krola need to be taken to sickbay, which Picard agrees to.
Later, in sickbay, Bev tells Picard, Mirasta, and Durken that both Riker and
Krola will be fine--the phaser, fortunately, was only set for stun. Krola is
revived, and begs Durken not to continue relations with the Federation.
Durken, saddened, is forced to admit that his people are not yet ready for
contact. Over Mirasta's strong objections, he orders a delay in the warp
program (shifting the funds to education to help his people ready themselves),
and asks Picard to leave his world. Picard is disappointed, but agrees. After
Durken assures Picard that the tales of the aliens will eventually pass,
Mirasta asks one final favor--that Picard take her with them. After Mirasta
insists she is prepared, and Durken agrees wholeheartedly, Picard agrees--and
bids Durken farewell, hoping that one day they will meet again.
NEXT WEEK:
A rerun of "Future Imperfect", so I'm outta here...
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
"I will have to say that this morning, I was the leader of the universe as I
knew it. This afternoon, I am only a voice in a chorus. But I think it was a
good day."
--Chancellor Durken
--
Copyright 1991, Timothy W. Lynch. All rights reserved, but feel free to ask...