“The Drumhead” is episode twenty-one of season four of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise has had a Klingon exobiologist, J’Dan, onboard as part of a scientific exchange programme. However, it’s thought he’s involved in a security breach and a possible sabotage of the warp drive.
Riker and Troi are questioning J’Dan whilst Worf stands guard. J’Dan is denying stealing the information, which wound up in Romulan hands. Nor was he involved in the explosion of the warp drive. He claims they accuse him because he’s a Klingon. It’s pointed out that the Enterprise’s chief of security is a Klingon. J’Dan wants to be sent home. He will be, once the investigation is finished. After Worf escorts J’Dan to his quarters, Troi says J’Dan is hiding something.
J’Dan is telling Worf his name is not mentioned on the homeworld. It’s as if he never existed. It must be a terrible burden. J’Dan has friends. Powerful friends. They may restore Worf’s name, if Worf just takes him to a shuttlecraft. Worf enters J’Dan’s quarters with him and declines the offer quite forcefully, then tells J’Dan that the Klingon High Council, once they hear about J’Dan conspiring with the Romulans, will put him to death. Slowly.
Retired admiral, Nora Satie, who apparently exposed the alien conspiracy in Starfleet Command in “Conspiracy”, has been brought out of retirement and is arriving to assist in the investigation. Satie wants to start work immediately and is taken to engineering. Data and Geordi explain the core will remain shut away for another 49 hours due to radiation. The explosion injured a couple of the crew. The part that collapsed was in the schematics that were stolen. Prior to the explosion, everything was operating in normal parameters.
In his ready room, the captain asks if the admiral knows of any other incidents between the Klingons and Romulans. It is not for the admiral to share. The captain has seen several incidents and an alliance of the two powers would be unfortunate. The admiral wishes to concentrate on the matter at hand, though. Worf arrives; he believes he has discovered how the information was handed off. J’Dan had regular injections, and his hyposyringe has an optical reader that can read Federation isolinear chips. The information was stored in a fluid, which could then be injected into another person, without their knowledge.
Worf questions J’Dan with the admiral, her aides and Captain Picard watching. A diplomat J’Dan was in contact with disappeared and Worf displays the syringe. J’Dan admits to working with the Romulans; he thinks working with the Federation is turning Klingons into weaklings. The Romulans are strong. But he had nothing to do with the dilithium chamber explosion. The admiral’s Betazoid aide, Genestra, says J’Dan is telling the truth. The captain is concerned someone else might be involved.
Interviews are arranged, first with Dr Crusher, because of the Klingon’s injections. However, they were actually done by medical technicians. The first, Simon Tarses, is part Vulcan and clearly very nervous. Genestra says he’s lying; frightened and covering something up. The captain says it’s clear Tarses was frightened; Genestra says there’s a big, overwhelming lie.
The captain speaks to the admiral again. He isn’t happy about basing an accusation on Betazoid intuition, nor is he happy about using a Betazoid in such a manner. The admiral reminds the captain about Troi, and asks has ne not done the same with her? Yes. Perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate that behaviour. Then Geordi contacts the captain. They have finally got into the warp core and all indications are that the explosion was an accident. A faulty hatch installed at McKinley Station. No conspiracy.
Admiral Satie is convinced there is still one, though, and is determined to find it. Whatever it takes. Captain Picard starts getting more than a little concerned about her behaviour, rightfully so. The situation is one that is all too familiar, worryingly so.