“Devil’s Due” is episode thirteen of season four of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Data is playing Scrooge in A Christmas Carol. Captain Picard is on the holodeck with him and congratulates Data; his performance skills are improving. Data’s main concern is that, never having known fear, he is unable to convey it. The captain says as an acute observer, Data could approximate it. Data thinks that isn’t appropriate for he has chosen the method as his acting inspiration. Data seeks emotional awareness, and has modified it for himself. Data hopes not to put emotion into his acting, but get emotion from it. Riker contacts the captain and Picard says that the moment Data decided to create his own interpretation and stop imitating, he became one step closer to understanding humanity.
On the bridge, the captain is informed they have received a distress call from the Federation science station on Ventax II. The transmission is regained and a Dr Howard Clark says they are under attack. The planet is in chaos as the population believes the world is coming to an end tomorrow. The Enterprise in orbit just as the mob breaks in and they are only able to transport Dr Clark out.
According to Clark, the Ventaxians have an agrarian society. Centuries ago, they achieved an advanced tech level, but turned their back on technology. First contact was with the Klingons 70 years ago. They proved uninterested in technology and the society seemed idyllic. Until several years ago, the head of state, Acost Jared, became obsessed with the legend of Ardra, that she was coming back soon. She’s the devil, or near enough; the Ventaxians believe they sold their souls to the devil.
Jared is contacting the ship. He says the prophecies have come true. Ardra’s return would be heralded by the shaking of the cities and that has happened. There have been visions of her, as prophesised, and that has happened too. Captain Picard will offer Federation assistance to help free the hostages. Jared says that won’t help; the hostage takers know weapons are useless against Ardra.
Clark helps brief the senior staff. The Ventaxians were promised a thousand years of prosperity, then Ardra would return to enslave the planet. The captain will go down to the planet to see Jared and wants Data, Worf and Troi to come with him. On the planet, there is an earthquake. Then a woman appears and tells them time’s up.
The woman states she is Ardra and has come to collect on their agreement. She appears to take a liking to Captain Picard. Ardra wants a full census and economic details on the population. A standard contract; just unusually long term. Ardra claims she has many names, transforming into Fek’lhr, the Klingon guardian of Gre’thor, where the dishonoured go when they die. With a side glance at Worf. Here, she is called Ardra. Picard has travelled the galaxy and encountered many diverse creatures. Surely there is room for her? The captain has encountered others more credibly called the devil (Q? Though Loki might be a better comparison) and he wants to see the contract.
Jared shows them the contract, which the captain wants Data to examine. He mentions the hostages and Ardra tells Jared to ensure they are freed. Data will remain and examine the contract.
Back on the Enterprise, Riker asks if Ardra could be another refugee from the Q Continuum. Dr Crusher asks if she could be Q. The captain thinks not; Q wouldn’t bother with contracts. Or economic forecasts, according to Troi. Picard thinks Ardra is a flim flam artist. Everything she has done, they could do, with transporters, holograms and tractor beams. She’s just dressed them more dramatically. Troi found Ardra almost impossible to read. Just when her empathic skill would have been useful. Riker suggest Ardra has a power source.
On the bridge, Ardra is making herself comfortable in the captain’s chair. He is not happy. Efforts to transport her off the ship fail. Data arrives and says the contract is correct in every detail. Ardra has gained clear title to the planet. Including, according to her, anything in orbit. Like the Enterprise. Data admits the contract could be interpreted that way.
The captain is not convinced that Ardra is a being of powers that could be considered godlike, even though they have encountered such in the past, and sets out to prove she is fake.