| The Next Generation | |
| 102 | |
| Darmok | |
| 45047.2 | |
The Enterprise is off to meet the Children of Tamar. They sound like a bunch of religious zealots. Previous encounters with them suggest that they are not hostile, but their language is incomprehensible - the words are understandable, but the meaning is missing. That still sounds like a bunch of religious zealots!
The Enterprise meets with the Tamarians, but has about as much luck communicating with them as Picard has giving orders - none. The Tamarians yell some gibberish about "Darmok and Jilad at Tanagra" and beam their own captain and Picard away. A quick sensor check shows that they are both down on the planet below, but neither are retrievable as the Tamarians have set up a blocking field in the ionosphere. Have you ever wondered how secure you would be in the 24th century? If unknown aliens can beam the captain off the Federation's flag-ship, without anything stopping them, I wouldn't leave home.
Worf thinks that it is a contest between the two captains, and Riker, who has jumped into Picard's chair before it even got cold, sends him down in a shuttle to pick up the captain. He doesn't get very far as the Tamarians blast the nacelles out from underneath him, and send him scurrying back to a the Enterprise. Worf wants a return shot at them, but Riker the trigger-happy strangely recommends diplomacy.
Down on the planet Picard is not having any better a time of it. He still can't communicate, and refuses the proffered dagger as he doesn't want to fight. Doesn't think he can beat a hostile alien is more like it.
Riker is losing his mind, and his cool. He orders Data and Troi to work out how to communicate with them and stomps off. Despite having met thousands of alien species and despite the universal translator, Data is about as useful as a sandwich toaster.
After something growls at the pair of captains, Picard finally realises that they don't have to fight each other, they have to fight together - against a phase beast! Picard realises that Darmok and Jilad were mythical warriors who fought a beast together, and the Tamarian captain seems to have cast them in the same mold.
The combat is furious and while the beast is attacking the Tamarian captain... Riker orders O'Brien to try and beam Picard back. It doesn't work, but it does stop Picard from aiding the alien captain, who sustains mortal injuries. Strike another one up for laughing boy.
In a leap of insight, Jean-Luc realises that the Tamarians communicate through metaphor, and finally manages to make himself known to Tamar captain. In a leap of insight, Wil realises that the best way to deal with this threat is to blast it out of space, and finally gets comfortable in the captain's chair.
Picard tells the story of Gilgamesh. Riker prepares to blast the Tamarian blocking-field generator.
After the alien captain finally dies, the phase beast attacks once again. As Picard is to be slaughtered, Riker orders the attack on the Tamar ship and they beam the captain back. It doesn't improve his life expectancy much as Wil's little prank has upset them, and they have the bigger stick. We have now met another alien race who could walk all over the Federation if they felt like it - and their boots are made for stomping!
The Enterprise's shields are down and defeat seems imminent when Picard races to the bridge, and tells his story to the new Tamar captain. The alien moans and cries, but at least doesn't destroy the Enterprise out of hand. The Enterprise survives to play another day and can chalk up another new civilisation.
There is now no doubt in my mind why Picard is captain and Riker is not.
