“The Ensigns of Command” is episode two of season three of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
In Ten Forward, O’Brien, with a cello, and two other strings players are getting ready to perform when Data enters with a violin. He heads over to Dr Crusher and Captain Picard and suggests they attend the second concert. Although he is technically proficient, according to his fellow players he lacks soul. The doctor says it’s never wise to explain why you are going to fail before you make the attempt. Data thought honesty was the best policy. The captain explains that excessive honesty can end in disaster, especially for a commander. Knowing your limitations is one thing; advertising them to the crew can damage your credibility as a leader. They can lose confidence and you may even begin to believe them yourself. The concert starts but before it gets far, Commander Riker contacts the captain. They are receiving a message from the Sheliak system. The captain and doctor exchange glances, then Picard leaves. Which Data watches.
On the bridge, Worf confirms that the signal is coming from the Sheliak system. Sheliak Corporate have not attempted to communicate with the Federation in 111 years. The message is simple; a human colony has been detected on Tau Cygna V. Which was ceded to the Sheliak in the Treaty of Armens. The Sheliak will be settling the world in four days. Remove the humans. The system is known to have heavy concentrations of hyperonic radiation, which humans can’t survive. Perhaps they are chasing a ghost. Picard says they need to investigate.
In orbit, Worf can detect humans, but not how many. Radiation is interfering with the sensors. And transporters and phasors. Dr Crusher suggests that it is possible for humans to have adapted. However, if they don’t remove the people, the Sheliak will do so. Forcefully. They consider humans a lower lifeform and will exterminate them. Picard orders Data to head down in a shuttle as he’s unaffected and start evacuation procedures. He asks Riker to speculate how many people are down there. Riker doubts there’ll be more than a dozen or so.
On the planet, two people approach the shuttle and recognise it as Federation. Data greets them; they say he’s the first visitor they’ve ever had. He needs to speak to Gosheven. They are survivors of the colony ship Artemis.
On the bridge, Riker finds the details of the Artemis. Launched 92 years ago; destination nowhere near there. An extensive search was made when it didn’t check in. How many survivors are there? 15,253. Riker was very wrong with his guess. They’ll never get everyone off in three days with no transporters. According to Worf, shuttles will take 4 weeks, 4 days. Assuming the Enterprise could hold that many people. They need more time. Picard needs to speak to the Sheliak and orders Data to start with the evacuation.
Data is taken to the leader, Gosheven. He is not interested in evacuating and they haven’t seen the Sheliak in over 90 years. It’s there planet now. When their guidance failed, they were lucky to find anywhere. Then the radiation started killing people. The rest survived and prospered. Gosheven suggests changing the treaty. Data explains they cannot and that the Sheliak will not share the planet with humans. They will be eradicated. Gosheven states they are not going to evacuate. Data has delivered his message; now go.
A woman throws something at Data to test his reflexes; she thinks he’s the most incredible android she’s ever seen. Well, the only one. She introduces herself as Ard’rian McKenzie and offers to help Data. Gosheven, who seems to have a problem with Data, is not impressed.
Geordi and O’Brien are summoned to the conference room. They have an assignment and Riker doesn’t want to hear it’s impossible. The transporters need to function. Geordi starts saying it’s impossible, then agrees. Their attempts are shown throughout and don’t go well; both Picard and Riker stop in, congratulate them and leave. Once O’Brien and Geordi have left, Troi says that the Federation had a team of 372 legal experts to write the treaty. What do they have? Thee and me.
The Sheliak finally respond. They don’t want to talk, compromise or discuss. The law is the law; they are entitled. Picard starts talking about treaties but the Sheliak terminate the conversation.
On the planet, Data is talking to Ard’rian. She says Gosheven doesn’t like the idea of machines ordering him around. Data isn’t trying to order anyone. Ard’rian has a different opinion of computers. Picard contacts Data and tells him the Sheliak won’t bargain.
Starfleet can’t get a colony ship there for 3 weeks. Gosheven won’t be bullied off their land. Picard decides to intercept any Sheliak ship that’s on its way. Data’s attempts to convince the colonists don’t go well; very few are willing to listen, and Gosheven definitely isn’t one of them. Ard’rian kisses Data because she thought he needed it; he misinterprets this. Data decides that perhaps this is one of the times that excessive honesty is detrimental. Picard finally gets his own back on the Sheliak.