“Tin Man” is episode twenty of season three of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise is heading to chart a system as the first stage in colonisation when the Hood appears on sensors on an intercept course at high warp. A rendezvous was not expected and the ship is hailed. After some conversation between Captain Picard, Captain DeSoto and Commander Riker, DeSoto says the Enterprise has new orders. Starfleet wants the fastest ship with the fastest people, and that’s them. Subspace wasn’t used because they are worried about Romulan eavesdropping. The Hood has a passenger, a mission specialist, who will bring the Enterprise‘s orders aboard. Tam Elbrun. Riker asks if that’s the same Tam Elbrun involved in the Ghorusda Disaster. It is. The captain heads to the transporter room and asks Data to accompany him. Troi asks if she can come; Elbrun was at the university when she studied psychology. Not as a colleague; as a patient.
Before Elbrun arrives. Troi explains he’s a telepath of extraordinary talent, even for a Betazoid. A specialist in first contact. Elbrun is beamed aboard and tosses the mission details to the captain. When Data speaks, Elbrun turns to him and asks who, what he is. Because Elbrun can’t read him at all. Elbrun tells Data the captain’s orders, getting them from Picard’s own mind. Picard calls Riker for a briefing, changing the time slightly. Elbrun would rather get the briefing over with so he can be left alone until needed.
Geordi asks Riker about the Ghorusda Disaster. 47 were killed, including the captain of the Adelphi and two friends of Riker’s from the Academy. It was a first contact situation with a complex culture and Elbrun was sent along to prevent misunderstanding. There was misunderstanding. It wasn’t ruled Elbrun’s fault, but why didn’t he warn that things were going badly?
The Enterprise is heading to a place 23 parsecs beyond Starfleet’s furthest manned mission. A probe sent to a star soon to go supernova. The probe discovered something orbiting the star, that they call ‘Tin Man.’ It looks like a starship, but Starfleet is sure it’s alive, and organic creature born in space. Communications attempts have failed so mind to mind is the only hope. Troi asks what the urgency is. The captain replies the Romulans. Are yes; Elbrun forgot about them. The Romulans claim that sector of space; Worf states the Romulans claim everything in their field of vision. The Romulans are sending two ships to investigate but their top speed is lower than the Enterprise‘s. They will take whatever measures required to claim the creature. Picard assigns Data to work with Elbrun. To prevent further omissions. The Romulans are hardly trivial. Elbrun admits he was distracted, then responds to Riker’s though about him being distracted at Ghorusda.
In sickbay, Dr Crusher discusses Elbrun with the captain and Troi. Elbrun is a prodigy. Troi explains that most Betazoids develop their telepathic gifts during adolescence. Occasionally, one is born with these abilities switched on. Most never lead a normal life; other people’s thoughts are overwhelming and painful. Elbrun has adjusted, but has his problems. He’s been hospitalised for stress and mostly works with non-humanoids.
On the bridge, Wesley has detected an unusual echo. Worf states something is tracking them, something that doesn’t fully register on their instruments. Data suggests either a sensor malfunction or another ship following them. Not a sensor malfunction, according to Worf. Data agrees. Wesley wonders why they’d pick up a Romulan ship at all, given their cloaking technology. Geordi suggests they are diverting so much power to something else that they can’t fully cloak.
Troi heads to see Elbrun; why does he want people to dislike him? Truthfully, because they scare him. Too many minds and he can’t shut them out. Troi asks him about Ghorusda. What happened? Maybe he got too involved, maybe he could have warned the captain more forcefully. Elbrun was the only Federation delegate posted to Chandra V. He found them a peaceful people, unlike humanoids. Except Data. Elbrun finds Data restful. Troi thinks his impression of Data is probably unique. Elbrun enjoys actually having to talk to someone to get to know them, rather than know everything about them whether he wants to or not. Elbrun left his assignment, because of the alien. It’s been lonely for so long. Troi asks how he can know that, and Elbrun admits he’s in contact with it. Not quite at the conscious level. Even though it’s lightyears away.
On arrival in the star system, it seems the rate of collapse has increased. It could go supernova in a few days. The following ship was Romulan, and it came so fast it’s broken its warp engines. Not a great thing to do in a star system that’s about to blow up. Elbrun may be able to contact Tin Man, but is Elbrun reliable? Data and Troi don’t think he would do anything deliberately wrong, but there’s always accidental. And Tin Man is a rather powerful entity.