“Thine Own Self” is episode sixteen of season seven of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Dr Crusher is doing the bridge officer’s log. They’re rendezvousing with Troi’s shuttlecraft, as she’s been at a class reunion. The doctor instructs the officer at tactical to let Data know they will be delayed. Troi arrives on the bridge; she wasn’t expecting to find anyone but Data up. Dr Crusher informs her that Data is on assignment; a Federation probe went off course and crashed and Data has gone to get the radioactive parts before they contaminate the biosphere. The world is inhabited by a pre-industrial society, but the probe crashed over 100km from the nearest settlement.
Troi says the doctor doesn’t usually stand bridge watch. Dr Crusher says she volunteered; she likes to put in a little bridge time. Not every doctor gets to command a starship. Even if it is the night shift. Troi asks the doctor why she became a commander, as she doesn’t need the rank to be chief medical officer. So, why the extra work. For Dr Crusher, it’s not the rank; eight years ago, she felt she wanted to stretch herself a little. Tactical reports nothing from Data; the doctor didn’t expect anything as Geordi said the radiation might interfere with the communications.
However, on the planet in question, a man and his daughter encounter a rather battered-looking Data. Data tries to speak, and fails initially. After repeating what the man, Garvin, says, Data gets to talk better. But he doesn’t know his name. The daughter asks Data where he’s from. And it looks like he’s been in an accident. Data doesn’t remember an accident. The last thing he remembers is walking to the town from the mountains. Nothing from before.
Garvin asks about the case; Data doesn’t know what it is. Data can read the markings on the side – ‘Radioactive’ – but doesn’t know what they mean. Data thinks they might be his name. Garvin opens the case and removes some of the metal inside. Not a great idea.
Troi arrives at Riker’s quarters. She’s thinking about taking the bridge officer’s test to become a full commander. Lots of reasons; the crew evaluations from the previous episode, “Lower Decks”, talking to Dr Crusher and her class reunion. She’s been thinking off and on about it ever since “Disaster”, when she wound up in command. Though Troi was overwhelmed, part of her missed it afterwards. She’d like to stretch herself. Riker says she has his complete support. But he, as first officer, will judge her performance and he’s a pretty tough judge.
Data is being examined by a woman, Talur. She decides his problem is that he hasn’t eaten and that science says that he isn’t a demon or a monster but an Ice Man from the mountains, adapted to the harsh conditions. Talur says there’s nothing wrong she can tell with Data, and leaves. Gia, Garvin’s daughter, wants to know what to call him. Mr Radioactive is discarded and Gia decides to call him Jaden.
Garvin wonders if the blacksmith, Skoran, can identify the metal. He can’t, but offers to buy some as it could be made into jewellery. Radioactive jewellery? Not a great idea. Data agrees to sell half. Then the leg collapses on an anvil, and one of the other smiths is pinned by it. Data lifts it off quite casually. Everyone stares. Data asks Garvin if he did something wrong. No; just undetected.
Talur is having dinner with Garvin, Data and Gia; Data is quite innocently questioning some of Talur’s facts. Garvin is feeling a bit ill; Talur prescribes fresh air and a walk. When he’s gone, Gia talks to Data. Her mother died last year and Garvin described where she went. Gia asks Data if he believes there’s anywhere like that. Given it sounds like where Data has come from, even though he doesn’t know it, he says he does.
Troi is engineering with Worf and Geordi, trying to fix a problem with the antimatter storage. She fails. Riker congratulates her for destroying the Enterprise. Troi has passed everything else but this is one of the toughest parts of the test. And Riker can’t tell her what she did wrong or what to study.
Troi is concerned that this test is something like the Kobayashi Maru; unwinnable. It isn’t, but if Riker tells her what she’s doing wrong, it defeats the object of the test. Even though Riker says she’s not going to get it, Troi won’t give up.
Data is remembering some knowledge. Sadly, what radiation or radiation poisoning are aren’t in the list. As more people start getting sick from the radioactive metal, Data has to work out what it is so he can try to fix it. And some are blaming him for the illness. Which is true in parts; false in others.