“Home Soil” is episode eighteen of season one of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise is in orbit around Velara III. Communications with the group terraforming the planet have been erratic and the Enterprise been asked to check on their welfare. Captain Picard hails the base but there’s no response, though Counselor Troi can detect lifeforms. Eventually, Director Mandl responds. They weren’t expecting visitors. The captain explains that Terraform Command asked the Enterprise to see how they were getting along. According to Mandl, they were a little behind but are back on schedule.
Troi says that Mandl is alarmed for some reason. Picard inquires about Mandl’s staff and would they like some time onboard the Enterprise. His fear is apparently escalating; Mandl is deliberately concealing something. Picard would appreciate looking around but Mandl makes excuses; they are busy. Troi says it’s more than that; the captain saying they were coming down sent him almost into panic. With that, Picard informs that, unless Mandl is absolutely refusing, they should prepare to receive an away team. The captain wants Troi to go along as well.
Riker, Data, Geordi, Tasha and Troi are welcomed by Louisa Kim. Commander Riker introduces his team; she does the same with the two terraformers. One, Bjorn Benson, is extremely interested in Data. Kim thinks it’s exciting to have visitors and apologises for Mandl; normally he’s very charming. When asked, Kim starts explaining about terraforming, what they do and how they are careful to select a planet with neither life nor the possibility of life. Troi tells Riker that the other two terraformers are secretive but Kim is as open as she appears.
Data and Geordi speak to another terraformer, Arthur Malencon, about what he is doing when Mandl arrives and apologises for his behaviour. He says Malencon should be in the hydraulic chamber. Yes, now. After Malencon leaves, Mandl is explaining something when Troi says that Malencon is in trouble. There are screams from him and other noises and the door to the chamber where he is is jammed. When they get in, Malencon is on the floor; it looks like a piece of equipment attacked him.
The laser drill appears to have malfunctioned, so power is shut off before anyone enters. Tasha asks the Enterprise to beam her and Malencon to sickbay. Kim wants to head to the Enterprise as well, and tells Mandl they should be with him. Data and Geordi remain behind with Benson. Data thinks something is odd. The drill stopped shooting when Malencon stopped screaming, and Malencon wasn’t able to deactivate it. Data wants power restoring, and when it is, he reactivates the program. The chamber’s doors lock and jam and the laser drill starts firing at Data.
When Geordi and Benson get the doors open, Data reports the situation is under control. He explains that the firing program was dynamic; it adjusted to his tactics. Is Data suggesting someone was controlling the drill? Yes, he is. Benson asks what Data did to the drill. ‘Under control’ means ‘ripped the drill to pieces.’
Data is briefing the captain and Mandl. Mandl is objecting and Picard suggests he make use of the chambers provided for him and his staff. Mandl’s schedule is on hold until Picard finds out what is going on and the captain asks Tasha to escort him to his quarters. Data believes the drill was programmed to destroy any person moving in the room. Certainty, not speculation. Which of the three remaining terraformers would be desperate enough to kill and why?
Malencon did not survive and Picard wants the remaining three looking into. Data and Geordi head back down and look into the tube where the laser drill should have been firing. There’s something down it emitting light. Something alive? Well, it’s inorganic. But it could be the reason Malencon was killed.
The glowing thing is beamed onboard and Dr Crusher confirms that it’s inorganic. But how can they determine if it’s alive. Well, there are possibilities. In turns out that the glowing speck is life, but not as they know it. Furthermore, it’s also rather unhappy and starts making this clear.