“The High Ground” is episode twelve of season three of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise is in orbit around Rutia IV, delivering medical supplies after an outbreak of violent protests. The planet is non-aligned but has a long trading relationship with the Federation. Ansata terrorists are demanding autonomy and self-determination. On the planet, Data finds Dr Crusher and Worf in a cafe. There are only a few minutes before the next meeting. Dr Crusher calls for a waiter then there is an explosion. She rushes over to the injured and tells Worf she needs supplies. Worf states that it isn’t safe, and the doctor makes it an order.
A Rutian agrees that it isn’t safe and Data says it would be prudent to return to the Enterprise. The Rutians have physicians. Who are not here; the doctor is. Worf brings over the supplies and Data contacts Captain Picard and fills him in. The captain wants them to beam back. Dr Crusher refuses. The captain considers beaming her back anyway; Riker says he wouldn’t want to be in the transporter room to greet her. Though why not beam the doctor and the wounded directly to sickbay? Picard agrees to let Dr Crusher stay, then someone appears using what doesn’t look like a transporter, shoots a police officer then disappearing with the doctor.
On the Enterprise, Data says that whatever was used wasn’t a transporter and they can’t get a signal from the doctor’s communicator. Worf believes Dr Crusher was the intended target. Commander Riker asks why take her; the Federation isn’t involved. Worf states it is now. Dr Crusher’s captor, Kyril Finn, is trying to get her to eat. Or talk.
Troi and the captain reassure Wesley about his mother. Picard thinks she’s been taken as a bargaining chip to get the government to acknowledge the Ansata’s demands. The captain doesn’t care; all he cares about is getting the doctor back. They are meeting with the authorities. Wesley wants to come but Picard wants him to work with the team investigating the new technology. Giving him something useful to do whilst keeping him out of the way.
Riker and the captain meet with Devos, the head of security. The Ansata have never taken hostages before; they kill without remorse or conscience. Yet they didn’t kill the doctor. She also doesn’t know what their new technology is, which allows them to appear without warning, though they have taken devices from dead terrorists. Devos suggests advanced Federation weaponry would help. That is not on the table. Riker will remain to help.
Finn tries to get the doctor to eat again and finally she does. He needs a doctor. One better than those they have. Help the Ansata like they do the Rutians. They brought medical supplies for the other side. The doctor says people were hurt. Finn knows; he hurt them. Finn leads Dr Crusher to some patients. She needs instruments from the Enterprise. However, the Ansata have swiped some of the supplies the Federation brought.
Riker is with Devos, who says that the Ansata organisation is probably no larger than 200 people, but there are 5,000 they know who are sympathetic to their cause. 70 years ago, the Ansata were denied independence which gave them a noble cause. Now, it’s just an excuse for more violence. Riker says she hates the Ansata as much as they hate her. Devos says she used to consider herself a moderate. But, after being stationed here for 6 months and seeing numerous dead and surviving three assassination attempts, that changed. The final straw was when the Ansata killed 60 schoolchildren. By accident, they claimed. She vowed to put an end to terrorism.
Dr Crusher has been working on the patients. She tells Finn they’re dying; all she can do is make them comfortable. If the damage could be detected earlier, it might be reversible. The cause, according to Finn, is their new transport device. It uses a dimensional shift sensors can’t detect. Dr Crusher is horrified by their use of this.
Wesley, Data and Geordi are working on the transportation devices. It reminds Wesley of something; a theory of interdimensional travel. One that Data says was proved to be inaccurate and research on it was abandoned after the travel was proven to be fatal. Using it is an irrational act. The captain joins them and tells Data they may be dealing with irrational people. The Ansata may require the services of a doctor.
Commander Riker thinks the current situation is no way to live, for either the Ansata or the Rutians. Devos would just like to go home. She’s a gentler hand than her predecessors, who had suspects simply disappear. Her predecessors were all murdered. Finn appears to be trying to convince Dr Crusher that his cause is just. He also has a plan involving the Enterprise. He wants to get the Federation to pay attention. As plans go, that might be a pretty stupid one.
This episode appears to be trying to say something about terrorism. However, it doesn’t appear to know what it’s trying to say.