“Time’s Arrow, Part II” is episode one of season six of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
In the season five finale, “Time’s Arrow”, Data had ended up in 19th century San Francisco. Sam Clemens had overheard Data talking to Guinan and he’s now telling a reporter that people from the future have travelled back, no doubt with the attention to foul up their world just as his Yankee had King Arthur’s. Clemens intends to expose them. The reporter thinks this is a sequel to Clemens’s book. Clemens spots Data leaving and follows; both walk past the true problem, the aliens preying on humans.
Riker and Dr Crusher are examining some cholera victims; he’s dressed as a policeman of the period. The doctor thinks too many are dying of cholera. And she’s getting strange readings; the victim’s system is depleted of electrochemical energy. He didn’t die of cholera; his neural energy has been drained. And taken to Devidia II for aliens to ingest, according to Riker. After all, if you were a time traveller with a taste for humane neural energy, where would you go? To where plagues and epidemics are occurring to use the diseases for cover, according to the doctor.
The two are filling in the others where they are staying. The aliens have likely disguised themselves to look human, but will likely leave a triolic energy trace. Geordi hasn’t managed to contact Data yet; he’s broadcasting but the range is limited. There’s a knock on the door; their landlady wants paying her rent. Or they will be out tomorrow.
The bellhop is letting Clemens into Data’s room; Clemens claims Data has a letter of intent for him to get some investors. The bellhop assumes it’s for Data’s engine. The bellhop also wants Clemens to write his life story. Clemens says the bellhop is the most qualified to do that. The latter has always considered going to Alaska. Clems thinks that’s a great idea. As he ushers the bellhop out, the latter says he’ll see his name in print. It’s London. Jack London.
Clemens fiddles with Data’s device, removing a part which causes it to stop working. Then hears Data returning with Guinan and hides with the closet. Guinan has found the cavern that Data is looking for. The entrance is a mine. Inside the Presidio. Data notices that there’s a piece missing from the device; Guinan assumes it’s Clemens. He’s driving her crazy. Data says if he did, he must be warned; prolonged contact with human tissue will be highly toxic. They hear a thud inside the closet as Clemens drops it.
Clemens states he’s going to uncover their plot. He’s been tracking where Data has been going. Data continues with his claim that the device is for horseless carriages. Clemens does not believe that. He believes they are time travellers and intends to get all of humanity to stop them. He’s right about time travellers; wrong about who is the threat.
Captain Picard is working on a lamp in the hospital; the doctor asks what he’s doing. Replacing the burners; they’re safer now, in case of earthquakes. Dr Crusher is posing as a nurse; the other doctor leaves and she speaks to Geordi and Troi. Geordi can see an afterimage of triolic waves, from the last 24 hours. A patient died last night and a man complained about a strange doctor and nurse visiting him. The others leave the doctor; shortly after, the aliens enter. The captain had placed a detector and it sends an alert to the doctor’s tricorder. She taps her commbadge to summon the others, then rushes over to the aliens, distracting them until the others return. Riker shoots one with a phasor; both vanish but Geordi got their snake-headed cane. Data detects the use of temporal disturbance when the others attempt to activate the cane.
An officer comes in – gunfire was reported – and plans to take them all to the station for questioning. Including Riker, who he doesn’t recognise. And they have a gentleman’s cane, which he has to confiscate for evidence. Riker says he has the utmost respect for the law, then punches him out. They rush outside as Data arrives with a carriage.
Sam Clemens is still causing problems, as he’s got the wrong end of the stick when it comes to their intentions. The cane is a living creature and the way of getting back to the future. If it can be used. Then there’s the fact that Data is going to lose his head.