The TREKKER Reviews


SERIES
The Next Generation
EPISODE
95
TITLE
The Drumhead
STARDATE
44769.2


The Enterprise is hosting a Klingon scientist, and wouldn't you know it, he's a spy! The naughty lump-head has been accessing blueprints and is believed to have caused an explosion in the ship's warp drive. I guess it would be too much to assume that there are two honest Klingons in the universe. I wonder whether Starfleet bothers to profile these potential officers before throwing them directly onto the flagship?

While taking J'Ddan to his cell for incarceration, Worf is offered the possible return of his name if he detours via a nearby shuttle-bay. Worf responds in a typically Klingon manner - with an elbow to the stomach and a fist to the face. One loyal Klingon, remember?

Since this is a completely new unexplored plot thread, Starfleet assigns Admiral Satie to assist in investigation. She uses Worf's evidence and her Betazoid pet to convince J'Ddan to admit the security breach, and uncovers what seems to be a Klingon/Romulan alliance! What a surprise!

Admiral Satie wants Worf to interrogate J'Ddan as she feels that he can bring more pressure to bear on the rogue Klingon. Nope. He admits only to the security breach. Therefore... there must be more spies!

Satie is a conspiracy theorist and after finally proving after 400 years that the Pope had JFK assassinated she is ready to tackle the conspiracy on board the Enterprise. What conspiracy? Apparently it's clear that J'Ddan couldn't have done all the work himself. After all, all he had was a syringe with an optical chip reader that encodes data into proteins. Obviously with such low-tech equipment he would need dozens of conspirators to succeed with his cunning plan. Yeah right.

The most obvious place to look would be where the injections were taking place, so Dr Bev is hauled up before the commission. She quickly denies any knowledge of the issue and says that her medical officers did all the work. Enter Simon Tarses. He also denies it, but the betazoid claims he is covering a lie. We'll give you a fair trial and then a first-class hanging!

Just to muddy the waters a little, Data and Geordi finally manage to determine that the drive was not sabotaged at all, it was just failure of the hatch cover. The Admiral is quick to retort: "Just because there was no sabotage, doesn't mean there isn't a conspiracy...". Oh no, not again. Paging Admiral Paranoia...

The investigation continues to pursue Tarses. Just to make it hard for the poor slob, Picard instructs Riker to defend him. Tarses is finally accused of having Romulan heritage - but refuses to answer, pleading the 7th guarantee.

Picard is not happy with what is happening and has a father-figure talk to Tarses. It seems that the young medtech's career finished. The Bald Avenger dons his cloak and goes off to see Admiral Paranoia. Off the record, he wants the trial stopped. Swish! Not only is the trial not going to be stopped, but Starfleet security has been brought in to witness the hearings. The Avenger will fight!

It is now Picard's turn to be ordered before the committee. He makes a moving statement and is promptly accused of violating the Prime Directive nine times since he joined the Enterprise. His loyalty is questioned and in a masterstroke he uses the Admiral's father's words against her. She completely loses her mind, and as a result, the trial. Hearings over - everyone go home.

Roll Credits...

Picard is steadfast elder statesman, valiantly defending the rights of his crew from the oppressors of Starfleet. Bollocks.


This review is Copyright © 1994, Phil Kernick.
Permission is granted for anyone to electronically distribute it - details available on request.