| Force Of Nature (tng Episode) |
Article Index for Force Of |
Website Links For Force |
Information AboutForce Of Nature (tng Episode) |
|
Guest cast is Margaret Reed , Lee Arenberg and Michael Corbett . PLOT A pair of scientists show that Warp Drive s are harming the fabric of space. The ''USS Enterprise-D'' is sent to the Hekaras Corridor, the only safe path through the sector, to investigate the disappearance of the medical ship ''U.S.S. Fleming''. In the process they find a Ferengi ship, which is badly disabled. The Ferengi daimon contends a Federation buoy disabled his ship. The Enterprise crew learns a Hekaran brother and sister, Rabal and Serova, are responsible for disabling the ships by using disguised ship-disabling mines. These siblings contend that sustained Warp Drive is destroying the fabric of space near their homeworld, and will eventually destroy their planet. Data determines that the research has merit, but requires more study. Picard requests a more thorough investigation from the Federation's Science Council. However, Serova is not willing to wait for any more studies. In order to prove her theory she causes a warp breach in her ship, killing herself in the process. A rift is formed, and the ''Fleming'' becomes trapped in the damaged space. The ''Enterprise'' crew manages to find a way to "surf" through the rift without using warp drive, beam up the ''Fleming'' crew, and escape the rift. Later, the Federation Council issues a new directive limiting all Federation vessels to a speed of warp five, except in extreme emergency. This episode also features much dialogue between Geordi and Data concerning Data's cat, Spot . Geordi had a terrible experience babysitting it, and insists Spot needs training. Data tries multiple techniques, but is unsuccessful. BACKGROUND In subsequent episodes of ''TNG'' the warp five speed limit was often disregarded for emergency missions. It is later established that the design of variable-geometry warp engines, such as those on Intrepid-class starships (e.g. '' USS Voyager ''), made this speed restriction obsolete for Starfleet vessels. This episode continues the Star Trek tradition of obliquely commenting on social or political conditions in real life. Warp drive can be seen as a metaphor for gas-powered vehicles in the world today. Just as the Federation does not suspect that warp drive could be harming anything, people in years past did not think auto emissions could harm the earth. It is only decades (and centuries, in Star Trek) later that we begin to realize that the technology we depend on so heavily could be threatening our very existence. |
|
|