“Galaxy’s Child” is episode sixteen of season four of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise is heading to Starbase 313 to collect equipment to transfer to a Federation outpost. On the way, they will be hosting a special guest. Geordi arrives in the captain’s ready room, where the captain explains that someone is coming aboard to see the engine modifications Geordi has made. The senior design engineer, Dr Leah Brahms. Geordi is excited to hear this and claims it’s because he’s studied her schematics for years. And not because of encountering a holodeck version of her in “Booby Trap”. Captain Picard asks if Geordi would like to welcome her aboard. He would.
In Ten Forward, Geordi is fiddling with his uniform when Guinan comes over. Geordi says he’s going to be coming face to face with his dream, and reminds her of the events of “Booby Trap” and starts gushing over the hologram. Yes, he knows it’s just a hologram, but it incorporated personality traits. Geordi knows they are going to be good friends. In the transporter room, Dr Brahms beams aboard and, on hearing who Geordi is, says he’s the one who fouled up her engine. Yes, great friends.
In the engine room, Geordi is talking about his changes with Dr Brahms, explaining that theory and application are different. Is that going to be Geordi’s defence? Geordi didn’t know he needed one.
On the bridge, Data informs Riker about unusual readings in the Alpha Omicron system. An asymmetric field of intense energy. The system is yet to be charted and Data recommends taking the opportunity for further research. Riker agrees.
Back in the engine room, Geordi suggests to Dr Brahms that he take her on a tour and show the things he’s done and explain why he thinks they work. She agrees.
Captain Picard is on the bridge now and data explains what they have detected. Worf says it doesn’t confirm to any known design of ship and Data says no-one in the Federation has seen anything like it before. The captain is pleased by that.
Geordi is now showing Dr Brahms the dilithium crystals. He starts by saying she remembers why they’ve been changed, then realises it was the holo version of her that does. Dr Brahms says the configuration was due to be introduced in the next model of starship, which Geordi says at the same time. Then claims it was the next logical step. He suggests they get together later to plan out their agenda. In his quarters. He’s good at making what turns out to be her favourite dish.
The Enterprise is approaching the source of the energy field. Commander Riker asks if it’s a construction. Data says it seems to be a natural phenomenon with biological properties. A ship. The captain is excited to discover a new lifeform. The lifeform emits an energy field, probing them. Worf recommends raising shields, but the captain says it has a perfect right to be curious about them. Then the creature moves towards the Enterprise and emits energy at it. They can’t move and the shield has no effect. Radiation is rising to lethal levels and the captain orders phasors fired at minimum setting. Which kill the creature.
Captain Picard is really upset by this. Troi reassures him that everything he did was consistent with Starfleet protocols. He continues leaving the bridge when Data reports a new energy reading from inside the creature. It isn’t still alive; it’s another creature. The being was, essentially, pregnant; that’s why it attacked. Now, the Enterprise has to work out how to help the unborn child.
Geordi is finding that the real Leah Brahms is not like the holodeck version. He’s also been avoiding telling her about the holodeck, though sometimes his depth of knowledge about her is a bit disconcerting. And Dr Brahms realises he is interested in her. Then she discovers that a man interested in her, with a rather too extensive knowledge of certain parts of her life also has a holo version of her. That goes down just about as well as might be expected.