“The Arsenal of Freedom” is episode twenty-one of season one of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise has been ordered by Starfleet to go to the Lorenze Cluster after the disappearance of a light cruiser, the USS Drake, itself trying to find out why intelligent life on the planet Minos had disappeared.
On the bridge, it seems that the Drake reported arriving but nothing else. Data says that the Minosians are arms merchants selling sophisticated and highly advanced weaponry. They became famous during the Ersalope Wars for selling weapons, to both sides of the conflict.
Commander Riker was at the Academy with Paul Rice, captain of the Drake. He describes Rice as being confident to the point of arrogance, but offset by him usually being right. A risk taker. Worf asks if Riker wasn’t offered command of the Drake. He was, but felt a tour on the Enterprise would be more beneficial.
Data reports that there is no intelligent life on the planet, but plenty of vegetation. As to what happened; war, disease, a dissatisfied customer? Tasha says that in every war and plague there are some survivors. Then the planet hails them. Aman welcomes them to Minos, the arsenal of freedom, supplying peace through superior firepower. This is a recording, though, and Captain Picard suggests that other systems may be functional. He asks Riker to lead an away team and Tasha recommends a minimum complement at first, until they are confident that whatever killed the Minosians is not still down there.
Riker, Tasha and Data beam down to the planet. According to Data, their comms are being monitored – by something. Tasha finds some melted tritanium, which is apparently beyond their technology, and they also find a weapon. On the bridge, Ensign T’Su reports an energy build-up near the away team’s position.
On the planet, Riker sees Captain Rice. Rice, when Riker speaks to him, seems of. Picard contacts the away team about the energy build-up. There are no lifesigns other than the away team. Rice, when Data and Tasha join Riker, wants details on the Enterprise; complement, armament, armour, top speed. Only Riker has claimed his ship is called the Lollipop (it’s a good ship), and Rice is calling it that. Rice claims the Drake was not destroyed, but what happened to it is classified. Rice disappears, to be replaced by something hovering, which fires a beam that encloses Riker. Riker shoots the hovering probe, which takes a bit of destroying. Riker is enclosed in an energy field and Data isn’t sure if he’s alive at first.
Data determines that Riker is in stasis, which suggests he’s in storage and something will be along to collect him. The captain decides that he and Dr Crusher should beam down, giving Geordi command. Troi is not happy with the captain’s decision to leave the ship. On Minos, the probe has been identified as an intelligence gathering device that attempts to gain information then puts people in stasis for more intensive interrogation. Data thinks he can get rid of the field, but it may take some time.
The Enterprise detects more energy readings and another probe appears, this one more aggressive, and Picard and the doctor fall down a hole into an underground chamber. Tasha tells Data the probe is acting differently and is anticipating her. It needs her and Data to destroy it this time. And their comms are down. Tasha will look for the captain and the doctor.
In the hole, Picard asks the doctor how bad her arm is. It’s bad. A very useful medical diagnosis doctor. They have no comms either. Tasha is unable to find them and Data manages to free Riker. On the bridge, they are about to beam the away team back when shields and deflectors engage, then the Enterprise is shot at by something that keeps disappearing. They can’t beam up the away team whilst shields are up. Logan, the chief engineer, decides to come to the bridge to throw a strop at hoe Geordi is handling the situation. Logan doesn’t feel that Geordi should be in command, especially as Logan has a higher rank. Geordi was put in charge by the captain and he will remain in charge.
On the surface, Dr Crusher isn’t doing so well and another probe appears. Each time, the probe is stronger and smarter. Geordi is a bit uncertain about being in command in such a situation, and Logan isn’t helping. Troi does do her job, though, and counsels him.