“When the Bough Breaks” is episode seventeen of season one of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Commander Riker gets a request from Captain Picard to report to the bridge. On the way there, a young boy, Harry, bounces off him. Apparently, Harry doesn’t want to do basic calculus. On the bridge, Picard explains that they have been following faint energy readings for the past few hours in an attempt to locate the source. These readings led them here, then stopped. Which he knew would interest Riker. They are in the Epsilon Mynos system. It does interest Riker; the system is the home of the mythical planet Aldea. An advanced world, peaceful in nature, with the ability to cloak the world in darkness. Troi is sensing something, thousands of minds. A distortion is noticed and a planet ripples into view.
This is essentially a cloaking device. The planet scans them, then they are hailed by it and greeted by a woman, Rashella. Their shield has confused outsiders for millennia. They want to meet in person, to discuss why they have revealed themselves. Picard says they are ready any time, and Rashella and another promptly appear on the bridge. The man, Radue (Jerry Hardin), is First Appointee to Aldea. The Enterprise’s transporter would not work through their shield. They invite them to a celebration on the planet, then excuse themselves, as their eyes are sensitive to bright light. Troi says they want something that they are afraid the Enterprise will not part with. Riker will lead the away team, and the Aldeans beam down Dr Crusher and Troi as well.
Wesley is asking Data how the planet is cloaked. The theory is simple, but implementation is difficult. Then the Enterprise is canned, and a beam fixes on Wesley. All the decks were probed, but only children were affected.
On the planet, Radue is saying that, when something is taken, something is given, which left the planet at peace. Though something about that sounds ominous. There are few left, now, unfortunately, and why is one of the things the Aldeans want to discuss. They need the Federation to help rebuild their heritage. They need to raise a younger generation in their values. The problem is that the Aldeans lack children. Rashella is the last child born. They want children; in return, they will give them information. This doesn’t go down well, and Radue is sorry they are so intransigent and beams them back to the Enterprise. And Wesley and six other children – one, of course, being Harry – are taken from the ship.
With them having the children. Radue contacts the Enterprise. No harm will come to the children. They will now offer appropriate compensation. Captain Picard is definitely not impressed. Radue ends the transmission; the discussion will continue when he has calmed down.
Wesley is by far the oldest of the children (and two of them are Wil Wheaton‘s brother and sister). Radue, Rashella and another Aldean, Duana, greet them. The Custodian indicated Wesley would be the leader. The Custodian is not a person. The children can have anything they want. Except to go home.
Picard, Troi and Dr Crusher are briefing the other parents. They are going to negotiate with the Aldeans, so they don’t hide behind their shield. But Picard is not going to leave the children behind.
The youngest girl, Alexandra, is playing hide and seek with Rashella. The children are going to be assigned to units; a unit is where people of similar interests live together. Yes, it could be called a family. Wesley asks if Captain Picard knows. Radue says he keeps nothing from the captain. Which is a bit of a misleading answer. Two of the children are sent with others. Radue states that the children don’t get a say in it. Sometimes things happen that mist be accepted. The children are going to become members of their society and nothing Wesley not anyone on the Enterprise can change this. Rashella doesn’t want to give Alexandra up to her designated unit.
There are fluctuations in the planet’s shield, according to Riker and Data. Data is surprised the Aldeans haven’t perfected their technology. The holes might be used to beam through. They need to get to the planet and disable the shield’s power. Meanwhile, Picard will keep the Aldeans talking, so they don’t just disappear with the children forever.
Wesley is shown the Custodian by Duana; it’s a computer. One, he realises, that the Aldeans know absolutely nothing about. They may not understand their technology, but it is quite capable. The Enterprise has to work out how to recover the children before the Aldeans disappear back into their hole and pull it in after them. And Captain Picard has to deal with some children; something he freely admits not being good at.