“Second Chances” is episode twenty-four of season six of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise is at Nervala IV, waiting for the opportunity to retrieve computer data left by the Starfleet researchers when they were forced to evacuate 8 years ago. In Ten Forward, Riker is playing his trombone. He asks for requests. Troi asks for “Night Bird”. He asks for any other requests. Troi asks again. Dr Crusher asks Troi what that was about. She explains that Riker has been trying to get the piece right for ten years and has never made it through the solo.
Just before Riker starts the solo, Data contacts him and says he’s needed on the bridge. On the bridge, Data says they can transport sooner than expected. They’ve modified the transporters using the data from the Potemkin and transporters are more efficient, so they will be able to get through the distortion field early. Riker says that’s a good thing; he almost didn’t make it off. The window opens in 97 minutes for 26 minutes, followed by two more windows over the next three years. Then 8 years before the next.
The away team beams down. Riker says it looks different; it was a mess when they left. Data indicates where the roof has been sealed. Worf suggests a ship may have crashed. Data detects someone approaching. Humanoid. And it appears to be Riker.
This Riker is a lieutenant in the tattered remains of a Starfleet uniform. Both Rikers asks who the other is; both say they’re Will Riker. Riker Two says he led the away team 8 years ago and was the last one out. The distortion field interfered with the transport and lost lock. He couldn’t contact the ship. Check with Starfleet; Riker Two is sure his loss that day will be recorded. Riker says he was the last one out and he made it. It’s not that he doesn’t believe Riker Two, but it’s hard to see how both stories are true. He wants Dr Crusher to check Riker Two out.
The captain arrives in sickbay and introduces himself to Riker Two. Dr Crusher says he is Will Riker and she doesn’t think he’s a clone. Their brain patterns, which are determined by experience, mostly in childhood, are almost identical. Riker Two says that whoever came back isn’t him. He’s told Geordi is checking the transport logs; meanwhile, Riker Two has quarters.
In the observation lounge, Geordi explains that the transport chief used a second containment beam. But the first worked and it wasn’t needed. The second was reflected back to the surface and Riker Two materialised. Riker asks which one is real. Geordi says both are (this raises some rather… disturbing implications for transporters). They also have problems retrieving data from the surface; Riker Two has been cannibalising the computer for parts. The captain suggests Riker Two could help. Dr Crusher is uncertain he’s okay; Troi will talk to Riker Two.
When Troi arrives at Riker Two’s quarters, he grabs her, hugs her and kisses her. Troi has to explain that she and Commander Riker are close friends, nothing more. Riker Two knows about Riker’s promotion – for what happened on Nervala IV; ironic – and Troi explains that Riker made his career a priority, not their relationship. She mentions that Captain Picard would like Riker Two’s help and he agrees. His feelings towards Troi haven’t changed like Riker’s.
In the transporter room, Riker Two is late. Worf is annoyed and Riker is unhappy with his alternate self. They beam down and Riker mentions letting their father know what happened. They patched things up in “The Icarus Factor”. Riker Two still has no interest in seeing his father and can’t understand why Riker turned down the Ares. They run out of time and Riker Two says he will stay behind to fix stuff. Riker has to order him. Several times.
Commander Riker is not getting along with Lieutenant Riker and they are clashing badly over choices Riker made and Riker Two’s current behaviour. Even though Riker Two would have made the same choices because they were the same person. Riker Two also wants to restart his romance with Troi, and Troi herself misses that Riker. Meanwhile, they still need to get the data from Nervala IV’s computer, and that’s difficult as earthquakes and Riker Two have made a mess of things.