“The Vengeance Factor” is episode nine of season three of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Commander Riker, Word, Data and Dr Crusher beam down into some sort of facility that appears to have been stripped. Worf states the reactor is gone; Riker comments that it’s no wonder they didn’t answer their hail, they had nothing to answer with. Data has detected lifesigns from behind a door and the doctor has found blood. Worf tries and fails to open the door; Data pries it open. There are a couple of people on the floor.
In sickbay, the doctor tells Riker and the captain that both scientists are suffering from multiple phasor stuns, but they will be okay. The blood is a rare iron copper type unique to one humanoid species, the Acamarians. The captain suggests the Gatherers are responsible and Data confirms there have been raids on outposts in neighbouring sectors.
Captain Picard orders a course set for the Acamar system, there to speak to the Sovereign of Acamar III, Marouk. Marouk says they have only managed to capture a handful of Gatherers, but with the Federations help that could change. Picard doesn’t want to hunt them down; he wants a reconciliation. Marouk says they’ve tried and failed multiple times. Though the last attempt was 18 years ago. For about a century, the Gatherers have been parasites stealing from others. Picard tells Marouk that they are still her people. The Acamarians used to be a violent people, constantly fighting clan wars, until they overcame the old ways. All but the Gatherers. Picard thinks it’s worth the effort to try again. The Sovereign agrees and just needs a couple more servants to join her. She has heard of a Gatherer settlement in the Hromi Cluster; according to Data, there are several unexplored M-class worlds there.
Commander Riker escorts Marouk and her servants to her quarters. Yuta, her chef, wants to know where the kitchen is. Riker demonstrates the replicator and says it can be programmed with Acamarian recipes. Does she have any specialities? He’ll have to try some Acamarian dishes.
At Gamma Hromi II, Data detects what Wesley translates as campfires. Riker, Geordi, Worf and Data beam down and find an assortment of looted items on the surface, then come under attack. Riker says they came to talk. They do not seem interested in talking, as Worf points out. Under cover of smoke, they seemingly beam back to the ship, but remained behind to capture the Gatherers. They are told Marouk is there to offer amnesty.
Marouk and the others beam down and there is squabbling to start with until Picard tells them to sit down. Please. Finally talking, Marouk tells the leader, Brull, that it’s time to come home. He wants to speak to her and Picard privately; Troi tells Riker that Brull is ready to negotiate but doesn’t want to look weak. Yuta looks at one of the Gatherers and follows him. She asks if he’s clan Lornak. He is. She is clan Tralesta, and touches his face. He collapses. Yuta says she is the last of her line but her clan will outlive his.
Marouk and Brull are getting somewhere and Brull says that the leader of the Gatherers, Chorgan, will need to make the final decision. He’s 20 days away; Brull will head there. The Sovereign wants to speak to Chorgan herself and Picard offers to take them. Brull is willing to head by himself. He’s arranging affairs when someone discovers the man Yuta killed. Riker calls for Dr Crusher. When she beams down, she says the man has been dead too long. He died from cardiac arrest. Riker says she doesn’t sound convinced. No; he definitely died of cardiac arrest. She just can’t find a cause.
Beaming back to the ship, Brull is brought to the bridge. When told to give the coordinates to Wesley, he makes fun of having a child on the bridge. Captain Picard gives Brull a look that subdues him greatly. And Wesley demonstrates his skills.
The clan wars do not seem to be as over as believed; it seems like Yuta is still killing because of them. Though she’s conflicted, especially as Riker is channelling Captain Kirk again. Picard is having to act as a peacemaker. The two factions of Acamarians do seem to want to get along again; that no longer appears to be the main part of the story.