“Bloodlines” is episode twenty-two of season seven of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The captain enters the bridge to be told an object is closing on their position. It appears to be an unmanned probe, with no armaments. Worf starts to say they are being hailed, to change it to the captain personally is being hailed. A beam is being broadcast from the probe that appears to contain holographic info. The signal is let through the shield, and DaiMon Bok, from “The Battle”, appears on the bridge. He tells the captain that he has found him. Jason Vigo is as good as dead. Bok is going to kill Picard’s son.
The captain orders it be determined whether it’s safe to bring the probe aboard and tells Data to look for Jason Vigo in the Federation database, starting with a Miranda Vigo, and asking Riker to contact the Ferengi government. Bok was in a DaiMon’s uniform, and if he’s regained his rank, the captain wants to know why.
Riker joins the captain in his ready room. The Ferengi are debating an amendment to the Rules of Acquisition; it may take a while. Data has found Jason Vigo. He’s 23 and on Camor V. That’s about all they know. Picard orders the course set to the Camor system, then tells Riker he appreciates him not asking, but the captain thinks Riker has a right to know. There is a possibility Jason is the captain’s son. He had a short relationship with Miranda at the right time. Miranda never said she was pregnant, so either Bok is wrong or Miranda decided to raise the child alone. Either way, he’s in danger.
At Camor V, there are only a handful of human lifesigns. One is a male in about the right age range, but he’s 2km under the surface. Worf reports there’s seismic activity in the area and the captain orders the man beamed aboard.
The man is surprised to find himself in the transporter room. He tells the captain he wasn’t at risk and to beam him back. Picard asks if he’s Jason Vigo. Because someone has made a threat on his life. The captain is an old friend of Miranda Vigo’s. Jason asks why someone would want to kill him and the captain says because they believe Jason is his son. Picard doesn’t know if that’s true. All Miranda told Jason was that his father was in Starfleet, and she died a few years ago. Jason is willing to permit a genetic test and, as it’s unlikely Bok would want to kill him if he isn’t related, hopes Picard isn’t his father.
In sickbay, Dr Crusher runs the test as the captain talks to Jason. She confirms Jason is Picard’s son.
In his quarters, the captain is talking to Jason about his archaeological items, which Jason has little interest in. The captain says if he knew Jason existed, he would have been a part of his life. Jason suggests maybe she didn’t want Picard to be. And he’d like to go back to the surface. The captain says that’s too dangerous, and explains the situation with Bok, and Jason accepts quarters on the Enterprise.
Geordi and Data are preparing to beam the probe aboard. Data tells the captain that they are having difficulty telling where it came from. The nav system is encrypted and the exterior affects don’t narrow down the location enough. DaiMon Birta contacts the ship. Bok isn’t a DaiMon and was confide to prison, but he bought his way out two years ago. He was last seen in the Dorias Cluster. Though there are a couple of dozen stars there, this is enough for Data and Geordi to find where it was launched from.
The captain heads to see Dr Crusher to get advice from a parent. He’s thinking he should leave Jason alone. She asks if he’s doing what’s best for Jason, or what’s easiest for the captain.
Bok threatens to kill Jason again whilst the captain was in his quarters, and this time it doesn’t look like a hologram. Picard is concerned he might be suffering from mind control again. He’s also trying to connect with Jason, but is finding it difficult. And Bok still plans to kill Jason.