Pen Pals (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

"Pen Pals"
Star Trek: The Next Generation episode
Sarjenka on the bridge of the Enterprise
Episode no.	Season 2 Episode 15
Directed by	Winrich Kolbe
Teleplay by	Melinda M. Snodgrass
Story by	Hannah Louise Shearer
Featured music	Dennis McCarthy
Production code	141
Original air date	May 1, 1989 (1989-05-01)
Guest stars
Diana Muldaur - Dr. Katherine Pulaski Nicholas Cascone - Davies Nikki Cox - Sarjenka Ann H. Gillespie - Hildebrant Colm Meaney - Miles O'Brien Whitney Rydbeck - Alans
Episode chronology
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List of Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes

"Pen Pals" is the 41st episode of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. The 15th episode of the second season.

Overview

Acting Ensign Crusher learns to manage a science team, and Data helps a young girl on a troubled planet.

Plot

Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher is put in charge of a science team to help further his studies to become a Starfleet Officer as the Enterprise surveys an area of unexplored planets that are all undergoing severe geological changes. Wesley is much younger than any of the other officers, and his authority is challenged; one team member, Davies, rejects Wesley's request to run a time-consuming scan, leaving Wesley floundering. Meanwhile, during their explorations, Lt. Commander Data has received a primitive radio signal from a young girl on one of the planets. Knowingly violating the Prime Directive, Data secretly makes contact with the girl, who he learns is named Sarjenka and using a home-built radio system. Data continues to converse regularly with Sarjenka over the course of the month.

When Sarjenka reports that there are frequent earthquakes on her planet, Data decides to report this to Captain Picard, hoping they would be able to find a way to save her planet. Picard sympathizes with Data's case, but sternly orders him to cease communication with Sarjenka to avoid any further violations of the Prime Directive. Meanwhile, Wesley has reported his poor progress to Commander Riker. Riker stresses that Starfleet training is both about responsibility and authority; Riker commends Wesley for his past records of responsibility but urges him to command authority on the science team. Wesley returns to the team and requests the planetary scan from Davies in a more authoritative manner; Davies agrees without hesitation to do it.

This planetary scan proves to be key to understanding the geological instability of the planets, and Wesley's science team prepares a means of correcting it using the Enterprise's systems. Data receives another signal from Sarjenka, who is now calling for help as the volcanic eruptions threaten to wipe out her home; while her family escaped to caves in nearby mountains, Sarjenka stayed behind with her radio system in hopes Data would come to help. Picard recognizes they cannot ignore the cry of help from a child, and orders the Enterprise to Sarjenka's planet. The means to restore the planet as discovered by Wesley's team would not harm those sheltered in the mountains but could harm Sarjenka, so Picard allows Data to beam down and return with the girl while they execute the process. Sarjenka is led on a brief tour of the Enterprise and shown her world from outer space as the Enterprise crew safely restore the planet's geological system. The tour ends with the Sick Bay, where Dr. Pulaski, under Picard's orders, anesthetizes Sarjenka and wipes the memories of Data and the Enterprise from her head. Data returns the sleeping girl back to her home, now safe, leaving her with a "singing stone" that Dr. Pulaski had given her while in Sick Bay. The Enterprise leaves to effect similar processes on the other planets, but Picard reprimands Data for his violation of the Prime Directive, a charge Data fully acknowledges.

Notes

• The plot is based on the Prime Directive.

• The spectral analyzer in the geology lab is the oscillation overthruster prop from the film The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. This was an homage to the film by the art department.^{[citation needed]}

References

• Star Trek The Next Generation DVD set, volume 2, disc 4, selection 3.

External links

• Pen Pals at the Internet Movie Database
• "Pen Pals" at TV.com
• Pen Pals at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)
• Pen Pals at StarTrek.com
• Pen Pals rewatch by Keith R.A. DeCandido