This episode is one of the better written and acted ones with two plots happening at once connected by two Romulan enemy soldiers: One that is dying on the Enterprise and one in danger of dying on an asteroid called Galarndon Core. The first story, in which the ill alien can only be saved by a transfusion, is the less compelling tale. Worf is the sole available donor but cannot get past his hatred of Romulans for killing his Klingon parents. Picard tries to convince him to go through with the transfusion, aware that it won't look good for the Enterprise if the soldier dies while in Federation custody. However, the captain feels he can't order Worf to do this. In the battle between Worf's hatred and the limited time the Romulan has, the enemy loses out.
The second subplot is better. Geordi Laforge misses his transporter window of opportunity and is stuck on the asteroid, which has an ionized atmosphere that wreaks havoc on humanoid nervous systems. That is what killed the first soldier and is now killing the second one that, unbeknownst to Geordi, is also trapped on Galarndon Core. The only hope for Geordi is to find a beacon that the Enterprise sends him to locate the safe transporter location. Normally, that would be no problem, as he can track it with his visor. Unfortunately, the ionized air is causing the interface between his brain and the visor to disintegrate. The enemy soldier knocks Laforge out and takes him prisoner. When Geordi wakes, he realizes the soldier is in trouble and he soon will be, too. His enemy---whose name is Bochra---must become his ally when the Romulan loses the ability to walk and Geordi loses the ability to see.
This episode is tight, well-directed and solidly produced, and the acting was spot on. John Snyder as the strangely honorable Bochra was particularly intense. The Romulan commander was also well-played by Andreas Katsulas. There was good tension from the unresolved dilemma faced by Worf and its results, in that the Enterprise almost comes under attack when Picard admits that the Romulan soldier died in Federation custody. The conflict is averted when Geordi and Bochra are beamed safely to the bridge of the Enterprise and the commander is told by his still-living soldier of how honorably he has been treated. Overall, a good Next Generation episode.
The second subplot is better. Geordi Laforge misses his transporter window of opportunity and is stuck on the asteroid, which has an ionized atmosphere that wreaks havoc on humanoid nervous systems. That is what killed the first soldier and is now killing the second one that, unbeknownst to Geordi, is also trapped on Galarndon Core. The only hope for Geordi is to find a beacon that the Enterprise sends him to locate the safe transporter location. Normally, that would be no problem, as he can track it with his visor. Unfortunately, the ionized air is causing the interface between his brain and the visor to disintegrate. The enemy soldier knocks Laforge out and takes him prisoner. When Geordi wakes, he realizes the soldier is in trouble and he soon will be, too. His enemy---whose name is Bochra---must become his ally when the Romulan loses the ability to walk and Geordi loses the ability to see.
This episode is tight, well-directed and solidly produced, and the acting was spot on. John Snyder as the strangely honorable Bochra was particularly intense. The Romulan commander was also well-played by Andreas Katsulas. There was good tension from the unresolved dilemma faced by Worf and its results, in that the Enterprise almost comes under attack when Picard admits that the Romulan soldier died in Federation custody. The conflict is averted when Geordi and Bochra are beamed safely to the bridge of the Enterprise and the commander is told by his still-living soldier of how honorably he has been treated. Overall, a good Next Generation episode.