- A long-lost ship is found on a planet where cosmic storms prevented detection for 200 years. When a surface landing goes wrong, the away team is beamed back...with a few extra surprises.
- The end of two centuries of storms on a planet allows the Enterprise to discover the USS Essex, a Federation starship missing for that long, and investigate its system. Riker is the only one of his away team on a moon who, after having been knocked unconscious by another electric storm and touched by an electric phenomenon, remains himself: suddenly Troi, O'Brien and even Data, apparently possessed by aliens, grab their guns on the bridge and take five hostages, including Keiko and her baby, demanding that the ship steer to the southern pole, where the Essex is. Picard has himself exchanged for the five and Dr. Crusher figures out the away team was probably affected by an ionic phenomenon, which didn't affect Riker because of his wound-caused pain, which inspires Geordi to prepare a man a pain-gun.—KGF Vissers
- The Enterprise has received a distress call from an M-class moon that was previously believed to be uninhabitable. Data determines that that the signal is an old sub-space type used by Federation starships nearly 200 years ago. It comes from the USS Essex which disappeared in this sector space around that time. Data, Troi and Riker travel to the planet's surface by shuttle craft and when they rig an enhancer to beam back aboard the ship Data, O'Brien and Troi try to commandeer the ship. They're unsuccessful in taking over the bridge but take several prisoners in Ten Forward. They claim to be essence of the Essex command crew but something far more sinister is at work.—garykmcd
- The end of two centuries of storms on a moon of the planet of Mabu VI (where they picked up a weak distress call), allows the Enterprise to discover the USS Essex, a Federation star ship missing for 200 years, and investigate its system. Deanna says she can sense someone alive on the surface of the moon. Riker, Data and Deanna take a shuttle down as transporting is too dangerous. They crash after Thrusters fail. Riker has a broken arm.
The EM storm is still raging on the moon and their Tricorders cannot pick any life signs, but Deanna insists there is life on the moon and its coming towards them with the storm. Miles beams down with a pattern enhancer, fully aware of the risks to his life. But right then, the lightning strikes the away team and knocks everyone down.
Riker is the only one of his away team on a moon who, after having been knocked unconscious by another electric storm and touched by an electric phenomenon, remains himself. Riker somehow manages to assemble the pattern enhancer and beams them up to the ship. Once at the helm, Data tries to convince Riker to steer the ship towards the southern pole of the moon, but Riker orders to maintain current orbit. Data and Miles try to take over the bridge, but Riker transfers control to Engineering.
Troi, O'Brien and even Data, apparently possessed by aliens, grab their guns on the bridge and head towards ten forward. There they take 17 hostages, including Keiko (Rosalind Chao) and her baby, demanding that the ship steer to the southern pole, where the Essex is.
Picard has himself exchanged for the five hostages and Dr. Crusher figures out the away team was probably affected by an ionic phenomenon. Maybe a life form superimposing its neural patterns on our people. This probably did not affect Riker because of his wound-caused pain, which inspires Geordi to prepare and man a pain-gun. The plan is for Geordi to create the plasma gun, for Ro Laren to penetrate the Ten forward shields and for Beverly to work on a containment for the aliens as when they are taken out of the crew members. Picard enters Ten Forward and Deanna introduces herself as Captain Bryce Shumac of the Essex. Data is First Officer Steven Mullen. Miles is the Security Chief Morgan Kenny. They have survived for 200 years as spirits in the ionic storms. Their consciousness was absorbed in the magnetic currents of the storm on the moon, when their ship (Essex) was struck by lightning. They need to escape the moon.
The Enterprise team is getting in position and Geordi needs 45 minutes to execute the plan. Meanwhile Steven suspects that Picard is stalling for time. Bryce tells Picard that once over the southern pole, he wants Enterprise to beam over the mortal remains of the crew on board the ship and take them to Earth for a proper burial. Geordi executes the plan, but just before firing the plasma phaser, Data moves out of focus and survives. He forces Picard to abandon the plan else will kill everyone in Ten Forward.
Picard allows the trio safe passage to the transporter in the cargo bay, so they can beam up and retrieve the mortal remains, as it is not possible to beam them back ups. Picard tells Bryce that he doesn't think he is Bryce. Bryce beams up the 100's of "spirits" and admits to Picard that they are convicts from their world of Ooxma, who were condemned to spend their life on the moon, which is a penal colony. They tried to escape on the Essex, but it crashed. Riker and Beverly activate the containment shield inside the cargo bay and threaten to kill everyone. Bryce threatens to kill everyone in cargo bay, but Picard counters by saying that they are willing to sacrifice themselves to save the ship.
The trio have no choice but to save their brethren by releasing the bodies and returning to the surface.
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