“Too Short a Season” is episode sixteen of season one of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise is in orbit around Persephone V. Starfleet wants them to speak to Admiral Mark Jameson after receiving a subspace transmission from Karna, the governor of Mordan IV. Dissidents have taken the Federation ambassador and his staff hostage. The terrorists will only negotiate with Commander – Admiral – Mark Jameson. If he isn’t brought within 6 days, the hostages will die.
Mordan is at peace after decades of civil war. Captain Picard asks the admiral why Karnas, who settled the civil war, is unable to deal with the terrorists. The admiral, who appears to have been very poorly aged from someone younger, says that 45 years ago, he handled a hostage situation and Karnas seems to feel Jameson can handle the situation again. The admiral and his wife will be ready to beam aboard very shortly.
The captain and Commander Riker head to the transporter room to greet the admiral, who is in some of support chair, says that, according to Starfleet, he is not simply an advisor. On any assignment he is the senior mission officer and will be in command of the away team and all their actions. The ship is still Picard’s, but the away team is Jameson’s.
Karnas, who has an interesting wall of weapons behind him, asks to speak to the admiral. He says that time has not been kind to Jameson. The terrorists won’t speak to Karnak but only the Federation mediator. Otherwise the hostages will die unpleasantly. Afterwards, Counselor Troi says she believes Karnas is speaking honestly but holding something back. Jameson believes that Karnas, a proud man, doesn’t want to admit that his own efforts failed. Dr Crusher contacts the bridge; she is ready for the admiral. Picard explains that this is a routine medical check-up; ship’s regulations. Troi senses something about the admiral at this point.
Riker wonders how Karnas knew Jameson was still available. Jameson corrects him as meaning ‘alive.’ He briefed the ambassador before he left. The question is what the terrorists want that Karnas can’t give. Data says the planet can satisfy its needs, but no more. Jameson suggests that peace is often a prelude to war. If the terrorists want weapons, Karnas is the last person who would give them.
Jameson’s wife, Anne, is pleased with their quarters. The admiral gets out of his support chair and says he’s feeling stronger. Then he starts feeling pains. Anne wants to call sickbay but her husband reassures her. It’s happened before, is expected and will pass.
Dr Crusher tells Picard there’s a problem with Jameson’s tests that he provided the information for. They are two months old, not two days. Picard says the admiral is 85; his memory may be failing. According to the doctor, Iverson’s Disease, which the admiral has, affects the body not the mind. She has a gut feeling Jameson is hiding something. That’s something Picard would have expected from Troi – but he respects her opinion. He would like her on the bridge, in case the admiral needs something.
On the bridge, Picard offers Jameson the conn, and he gets out of his support chair to do so. Dr Crusher seems shocked. Jameson explains he’s undergoing a new therapy. Afterwards, the doctor speaks to Picard; Iverson’s Disease has no known cure and nobody goes into remission. He should be unable to leave his chair and she can’t account for his ability to do so.
Back in their quarters, Anne thinks Jameson is looking much better. In fact, she thinks he looks 20 years younger. Then Jameson gets hit by pains again and Anne calls sickbay. The doctor finds traces of chemical substances in the admiral that are not in the pharmacopeia. His Iverson’s Disease has completely gone. She has no idea what the substances are doing.
The admiral is now looking a lot younger. Cerberus II is rumoured to have a process that rejuvenates the body and, after getting Iverson’s Disease, the admiral asked for it. It’s not a myth. It is, however, dangerous, and the mortality rate is high. He got enough for both he and his wife, but tested it on himself first. When Karnas’s call came through, he didn’t have time to wait for it to work normally, so took all of both doses. His wife is not happy.
When Jameson speaks to Karnas privately, it’s clear that something happened during the previous hostage negotiation that has a relevance to the current situation. Both appear to be lying about something and, worse, Jameson’s decision to take both doses – TNG became known for its insane admirals, of which Jameson is merely the first – is killing him.