Pen Pals

Meanwhile Data is scanning some communications frequencies when he detects a transmission from a frightened child. He answers the call, even though it originates from a pre-warp civilisation. As the Enterprise investigates the region Data continues the communications for several weeks, and discovers that the girl's planet is undergoing the same effect which has destroyed the others.

He takes the information to Picard, confessing his actions in communicating with the girl and pointing out that he has not revealed exactly whom she is communicating with. Picard calls a conference of the senior staff to discuss the issue, and consider whether the Enterprise should intervene to save the planet. After considerable argument, Picard orders Data to cut off further communications and leave the planet to its fate. When Data opens the channel everybody hears the girl, Sarjenka, pleading for help, and are moved to reverse their decision.

Data beams down to Drema IV to warn Sarjenka to move to a safer region, but finds her alone with her family gone. He beams her back up to the Enterprise with him and then, as she is frightened to be away from his side, takes her to the bridge, much to Picard's chagrin.

The Enterprise, meanwhile, has prepared a series of probes mounted with resonators which will shatter the dilithium matrix with Drema IV's crust, ending the crisis. With the planet safe, Picard has Pulaski erase Sarjenka's memory. In sickbay Sarjenka notices an Elanin singer stone and is delighted by the sound it makes. When her memory is erased Data returns her to her home, leaving the stone with her as a memento of their relationship.

As the ship moves on Data apologises to Picard for his violations of orders. Picard notes that even for a Starfleet officer some obligations transcend duty, and that by acting as he did Data has displayed many truly human qualities.

All of this is not to say that helping out is the wrong decision, only that it's not as simple as just saying they need help, so they should get it.

The episode falls down somewhat in the Wesley sections. It seems odd that he is thrust into a leadership role like this. Yes, he needs to learn stuff, but at his age I would think that simply being a rather junior member of the team would be more than enough. Of course, not content with putting him in charge, they have him make a contentious decision that more experienced heads advise against, and then Wesley turns out to be right and they wrong. Wouldn't it have been a little more subtle if Wesley had insisted on the long complex test... and then the results turned out to be useless, and even delayed the solution to the problem they faced? The lesson then would be a real one - that you make a call, sometimes you're right, and sometimes you aren't, and you just have to accept that and get on with it. The lesson here seems to be "always trust your instincts because you are always right no matter what anybody else says."

The Sarjenka character is also a bit lame. Virtually all she does is whine and cry! Yes she had cause, but it got annoying after a while. Besides, her voice has this annoying quality to it...

Overall, potential here but the episode rarely rises to it.