“Unification” is episode seven of season five of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
The Enterprise has been called to Starbase 234 by Fleet Admiral Brackett to discuss something too sensitive for subspace. In the captain’s ready room, the admiral explains that three weeks ago, one of their most celebrated ambassadors and advisor to Federation leaders for generations disappeared. Two days ago, he was found. On Romulus. Brackett shows Captain Picard an image taken on Romulus. If the ambassador has defected, it would be bad. Once cleaned up, it reveals Spock.
Picard has a more personal concern; thanks to the mind meld he did with Sarek in the episode of that name. Commander Riker enters the observation lounge, and tells the captain they will in orbit around Vulcan in an hour. Sarek’s wife has been told, but Sarek is too ill to make the trip. Riker asks how well he knows Spock. Mostly through the mind meld, but, well, fathers and sons. Riker understands. Perhaps only too well. In addition, metal fragments were found in a crashed Ferengi freighter. They appear to be Vulcan and the Vulcans have been contacted.
The captain speaks to Sarek’s wife, Perrin, on the Enterprise. Perrin has no idea why Spock has disappeared, but thinks he disappeared years ago. The captain asks what happened. Spock and his father had argued for years but, when it came to the debates over the Cardassian war, Spock attacked Sarek’s position publicly, showing no loyalty. Sarek was not offended, but Perrin was on his behalf. Sarek wants to see his son, to heal any rifts, but it may now be too late. The captain would like to see Sarek, and Perrin agrees.
Riker is with Geordi in the cargo bay, along with a whole lot of metal fragments. They are definitely Vulcan, and their composition suggests they were designed for use in space, but the Vulcans don’t know what they are. Riker explains that the Ferengi ship they were on went down with enough force to scatter debris over 100 square kilometres.
The captain is left with Sarek by Perrin. Sarek isn’t responding much, until Spock’s name is mentioned. Captain Picard says he must find Spock. Sarek says Spock isn’t here. The captain knows, and explains he’s been seen on Romulus. On being asked why he might have gone and who he might have contacted, Sarek mentions a Romulan senator, Pardek. Spock has maintained a relationship with him over the years. Perhaps they met at the Khitomer conference (this episode was intended to build up to Star Trek VI, which was coming out soon after). Sarek doesn’t believe Spock would defect, then starts losing his thread again.
Captain Picard needs a cloaked ship to cross the Neutral Zone, and is heading to the Klingon homeworld. He’s sure that Gowron will be happy to return the help he was given. Gowron isn’t responding to hails, and Worf believes he knows why. Gowron has been rewriting history and claiming his courage and genius ended the civil war. There’s no mention of the Federation. The captain doesn’t care about credit; he just wants a ship. If Gowron won’t talk, see who will.
Data has discovered a small piece of footage of Senator Pardek. The captain asks him to bring up the image of Spock on Romulus; Pardek is in the image too. Romulan leadership considers Pardek a radical; he advocates peace. Data believes he will be easiest to find in the district he represents; he has a house and relatives in the area.
Worf says the Klingons are now hailing them. A junior adjutant from the diplomatic delegation. The adjutant, B’iJik (Erick Avari), says that Gowron and the High Council are busy. Can he take a message? The captain starts to snap, then decides yes, B’iJik can take a message. Gowron’s arbiter of succession needs a favour. He requires a cloaked vessel. B’iJik asks what the benefit to the Klingon Empire is. He’ll be asked. Captain Picard says the benefit will be their gratitude. If Gowron is unable to provide a ship, the captain is sure others in the Klingon Empire will be willing to help. Then they would have the captain’s gratitude. Gowron may be rewriting history, but he knows who helped put him where he is.
Captain Picard and Data will head to Romulus, but they’ll need to be made up to look Romulan. The Enterprise will investigate the metal fragments, which came from a decommissioned Vulcan ship.
The story continues in the next episode, “Unification II”.