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{{real world}}
{{sidebar episode|
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{{sidebar episode
<!-- See [[Memory Alpha:Episode data project]] -->
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|<!-- See [[Memory Alpha:Projects/Episode data project]] -->
| aSelf = Aquiel
+
|image = Aquiel Uhnari.jpg
 
|teleplay = [[Brannon Braga]] & [[Ronald D. Moore]]
| sTitle = Aquiel
 
| sSeries = TNG
+
|story = [[Jeri Taylor]]
| nSeason = 6
+
|director = [[Cliff Bole]]
| nEpisode = 13
+
|date = 46461.3 ([[2369]])
|sProductionSerialNumber = 40276-239
 
| nAirdateYear = 1993
 
| sAirdateMonth = February
 
| nAirdateDay = 1
 
| sImage = Aquiel Uhnari.jpg
 
| wsWrittenBy =
 
| wsTeleplayBy = [[Brannon Braga]] & [[Ronald D. Moore]]
 
| wsStoryBy = [[Jeri Taylor]]
 
| wsDirectedBy = [[Cliff Bole]]
 
| nNthProducedInSeries = 138
 
| nNthReleasedInSeries = 138
 
| nNthReleasedInAll = 251
 
| bFeatureLength = 0
 
| nSerialAirdate = 19930201
 
| wsDate = 46461.3 ([[2369]])
 
| aNextReleasedInAll = Q-Less (episode)
 
| aPrevReleasedInAll = Captive Pursuit (episode)
 
| aNextReleasedInSeries = Face of the Enemy (episode)
 
| aPrevReleasedInSeries = Ship in a Bottle (episode)
 
| aNextProducedInSeries = Face of the Enemy (episode)
 
| aPrevProducedInSeries = Ship in a Bottle (episode)
 
|aNextInUniverseTimeline = Captive Pursuit (episode)
 
|aPrevInUniverseTimeline = Ship in a Bottle (episode)
 
 
}}
 
}}
  +
{{disambiguation|the episode's namesake|Aquiel Uhnari|rd=Aquiel}}
[[Geordi La Forge]] falls in love with a woman named [[Aquiel Uhnari]], accused of murder in an isolated [[communication relay station]]. The Enterprise crew investigates the crime, the only other suspect is a Klingon officer who frequently visited the station.
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Geordi La Forge falls in love with a woman accused of murder in an isolated communication relay station. The ''Enterprise'' crew investigates the crime; the only other suspect is a Klingon officer who frequently visited the station.
   
 
== Summary ==
 
== Summary ==
 
=== Teaser ===
 
=== Teaser ===
[[File:Relay Station 47.jpg|thumb|left|Relay station 47]]
+
[[File:Relay Station 47.jpg|thumb|left|Relay Station [[47]]]]
 
:"''[[Captain's log]], [[Stardate]] 46461.3. We have arrived at a [[communication relay station]] near the [[Klingon Empire|Klingon border]], where we are scheduled to deliver supplies. However, the station has not responded to repeated [[hail]]s.''"
   
 
The {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} has sent an [[away team]] composed of [[Dr.]] [[Beverly Crusher|Crusher]], [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Geordi La Forge|La Forge]], [[Commander]] [[William T. Riker|Riker]], and [[Lieutenant]] [[Worf]] over to the Communications [[Relay Station 47]]. Upon arriving, they find the station has been abandoned and the [[audio monitoring system]] in disarray, with a few thousand [[subspace message]]s playing all at once. La Forge manages to deactivate the monitoring system. Investigating a banging noise from a service duct, Riker and La Forge find a large, fluffy white [[dog]], hiding there. The station's [[shuttlecraft]] is missing, along with both [[Starfleet]] [[officer]]s, [[Aquiel Uhnari]] and [[Keith Rocha]]. Dr. Crusher discovers {{dis|cell|biology}} residue on a deck plate, which must be the remains of one of the personnel.
:"''[[Captain's log]], [[stardate]] 46461.3. We have arrived at a [[communication relay station]] near the [[Klingon Empire|Klingon border]], where we are scheduled to deliver supplies. However, the station has not responded to repeated [[hail]]s.''"
 
   
 
=== Act One ===
 
Crusher confirms that the [[blood]] traces match those of Uhnari, so the doctor assumes the cellular residue is Uhnari's also, but must study it further in her lab to make certain. Geordi La Forge explains to Riker that encrypted [[subspace]] messages are all sent through a particular channel, and that someone has tried to bypass the access protocols, perhaps taking or rewriting some of the messages. He also mentions that the security lockouts froze up when it happened. La Forge accesses the station's [[log]]s from the nearby [[quarters]], but at first can see only a handful of official and personal entries by Uhnari. Perusing the logs, he discovers that the dog was Uhnari's pet. Uhnari seems to be an upbeat person, though she appeared to have some intense friction with Rocha. The computer cuts out.
   
 
Meanwhile in [[sickbay]], Dr. Crusher tries to get a clear [[DNA]] sample from the metallic plate, she guesses to Picard and Riker that a high-level [[phaser]] blast caused the death. It also could have been a Klingon [[disruptor]], but Picard needs evidence since Klingon attacks have not occurred against the [[Federation]] for seven years.
The {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-D|-D}} has sent an [[away team]] composed of [[CMO]] [[Beverly Crusher|Dr. Crusher]], [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Cmdr]] [[Geordi La Forge|La Forge]], [[Commander|Cmdr]] [[William T. Riker|Riker]] and [[Lieutenant|Lt.]] [[Worf]] to the Communications [[Relay Station 47]]. Upon arriving, they find the station abandoned and the audio monitoring system in disarray. They also find a large, fluffy white [[dog]] hiding inside a service duct. The station's [[shuttlecraft]] is missing, along with both [[Starfleet]] [[officer]]s, [[Aquiel Uhnari]] and [[Keith Rocha]]. [[Doctor]] Beverly Crusher discovers [[cell (biology)|cellular]] residue which must be the remains of one of the personnel.
 
   
  +
In the quarters on board the station, La Forge orders a diagnostic while he gets an iced [[coffee]] from the room's [[replicator]]. Soon, he gets a visual of Uhnari.
=== Act One ===
 
The [[blood]] traces match those of Uhnari, so Crusher assumes the cellular residue is Uhnari's also, but must study it further in her lab to make sure. [[Lieutenant Commander]] [[Geordi La Forge]] explains that encrypted [[subspace]] messages are all sent through a particular channel, and that someone has tried to bypass the access protocols, perhaps taking or rewriting some of the messages. La Forge accesses the station's [[log]]s, but at first can see only a handful of Uhnari's official and personal entries. Returning to her [[quarters]], he peruses the logs accompanied by the dog, which he discovers was Uhnari's pet. Uhnari's personal letters reveal her to be a spirited, romantic [[Halii]] woman who was abused by her father, is intensely homesick for the rest of her family and traditions, and has difficulty getting along with "egomaniac" Rocha. At one point she confesses countermanding his orders.
 
In [[sickbay]] Dr. Crusher tries to get a clear [[DNA]] sample from the metallic plate, she guesses a high-level [[phaser]] blast caused the death. It also could have been a Klingon [[disruptor]].
 
   
 
=== Act Two ===
 
=== Act Two ===
Uhnari also mentions that [[Commander]] [[Morag]], an aggressive Klingon, has been harassing and threatening the station. Klingon [[DNA]] traces are found aboard the station, and [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]] asks the Klingon [[governor]] [[Torak (Governor)|Torak]] to investigate. At first, the governor is hesitant to help but Picard uses his influence as [[Gowron]]'s [[Arbiter of Succession]] to convince him to help. Eventually, the governor turns up on the ''Enterprise'' along with Uhnari, very much alive.
+
Uhnari's personal letters continue to reveal her to be a spirited, romantic [[Haliian]] woman who was abused by her father, is intensely [[homesickness|homesick]] for the rest of her family and traditions, and has difficulty getting along with "egomaniac" Rocha. At one point, she confesses countermanding his orders by taking on additional com traffic, which Rocha ordered her not to, as he believed they could not handle the signal load. Uhnari tells her sister that Rocha will be furious with her when he eventually finds out. Uhnari also mentions in her log that a [[Commander]] [[Morag]], an aggressive [[Klingon]], has been harassing and threatening the station. La Forge reports this to [[Captain]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]], who then asks the Klingon [[governor]] {{dis|Torak|Governor}} to investigate. At first, the governor is hesitant to help but Picard uses his influence as [[Gowron]]'s [[Arbiter of Succession]] to convince him to assist.
  +
  +
La Forge watches more of Lieutenant Uhnari's personal logs in his quarters. In the log, she states that she misses her mother's own [[muskan seed punch]] and how the replicators on the station cannot quite make it the same when a loud bang is heard. Uhnari asks if it is Rocha. The log suddenly goes to static.
  +
  +
Back on the station, Worf, Riker and La Forge continue the investigation. Worf has discovered traces of Klingon [[DNA]]. La Forge has most of Uhnari's logs, but cannot find Rocha's, telling Riker that whatever happened to the station's encrypted messages had a cascade effect on the communications storage system.
  +
  +
Eventually, the governor arrives at the ''Enterprise''{{'}}s position on the {{IKS|Qu'Vat}}. Worf escorts Torak to the [[observation lounge]] and the governor has Uhnari brought in, with her uniform torn and looking battered but very much alive.
   
 
=== Act Three ===
 
=== Act Three ===
Uhnari claims that Rocha suddenly and irrationally attacked her; she first tried to access the [[weapons locker]], but next remembers escaping in the shuttle; she was picked up by the Klingons. Possibly owing to a head injury, Uhnari's memory for exactly what happened is spotty, and while she tries to remember and the captain waits for Cmdr. Morag to arrive, she and La Forge become friends. La Forge confesses he has read her logs. Dr. Crusher now assumes that the cellular residue is Rocha, but continues to analyze it.
+
Uhnari claims that Rocha suddenly and irrationally attacked her; she first tried to access the [[weapons locker]], but next remembers escaping in the shuttle; she was picked up by the Klingons. Possibly owing to a head injury, Uhnari's memory for exactly what happened is spotty, she notes it's as if her memories of the incident have been drained out of her, but she doesn't remember Morag on the station when she left. Torak is faced with the evidence of Klingon DNA on the station, and continues to be angered by the [[accusation]] of any Klingon involvement. He permits them to talk to Morag. Dr. Crusher now assumes that the cellular residue on the station's deck plate is Rocha, but continues to analyze it.
  +
  +
While they wait for Commander Morag to arrive, La Forge escorts Uhnari out of the lounge, telling her he has a friend of hers that is probably eager to see her. La Forge brings Uhnari to his quarters, where he reunites her with her dog. The dog's name is revealed to be [[Maura]], named after a character in ''[[Cold Moon Over Blackwater]]'', a gothic [[novel]]. La Forge says Uhnari probably wants to be left alone in her assigned quarters after her recent ordeal, but she tells him that she would like to go to a place that has a lot of activity since she has spent nine months on the station with only Rocha to talk to. They go to [[Ten Forward]], where La Forge reveals that he knows quite a bit about Uhnari, such as getting her muskan seed punch to drink and that she lived on a house on a hill growing up. When the lieutenant is surprised, La Forge confesses that he has reviewed her logs, as well as her personal correspondence. He explains that they thought she had been [[murder]]ed and needed to investigate. Visibly upset, she first sees it as an invasion of privacy, but eventually comes to understand. La Forge brings up her contemptuous relationship with her superior officer, Keith Rocha. She considered him hostile and obnoxious and felt she had to battle him to hold her own. But, she insists, she did not want to see him dead. La Forge asks why Rocha attacked her but Uhnari does not know. While taking Uhnari to her quarters, she asks La Forge, since he knows her the best from anyone on the ''Enterprise'', if she seems like a person who would murder someone. La Forge admits she doesn't. She wishes him a good night in Haliian.
   
Rocha's log files turn up, showing that he was not as nasty as Uhnari's experience of him; in fact, he seems to have been a bright and promising officer. Uhnari's [[duty record]]s, on the other hand, show her to be difficult and argumentative. Circumstantial evidence points to her as possibly having killed Rocha, but she hotly denies this, even after she is found to have established a subspace link with a console on the relay station and deleted a number of Rocha's [[personal log]]s, including a letter he was planning to send to Starfleet. Citing her as "belligerent and insubordinate", Rocha had planned to ask for a formal hearing. Knowing her pattern of running away in panic when she is afraid, La Forge advises her to stay and face what has happened, and she agrees.
+
Riker has Rocha's and Uhnari's Starfleet files brought up to Picard on his [[desktop monitor]]. According to Rocha's file, he seems to have been a bright and promising officer, not as nasty as Uhnari's experience of him. Uhnari's records, on the other hand, show her to be difficult and argumentative from her previous posting on [[Deriben V]]. Picard orders Riker to examine the [[Verne|shuttle]] thoroughly to shed more light on her story, since there's still no hard evidence. There, Worf finds a missing phaser from the station in a small compartment under the shuttlecraft's helm controls: it is set to kill.
   
 
=== Act Four ===
 
=== Act Four ===
:"''Captain's log, supplemental. The [[IKS Qu'Vat|Qu'Vat]] has arrived with Commander Morag. We are preparing to question him regarding his involvement in the murder of Lieutenant Rocha.''"
+
:"''Captain's log, supplemental. The ''[[IKS Qu'Vat|Qu'Vat]]'' has arrived with Commander Morag. We are preparing to question him regarding his involvement in the murder of Lieutenant Rocha.''"
   
  +
[[File:William Riker shows Aquiel Uhnari a hidden phaser.jpg|thumb|"''It was taken from the weapons locker on the station.''"<br />"''I told you, I don't remember what happened!''"]]
Cmdr. Morag arrives shortly thereafter. He describes how he investigated the station when they did not answer his hails. He confesses that he was the one who tried to bypass the access protocols and filched a number of priority Starfleet messages, but that while he saw blood and signs of a struggle, he did not kill anyone. Lt. Worf finds a missing phaser from the station in Uhnari's shuttlecraft: it is set on ten instead of one. It becomes more likely Uhnari was the murderer. Dr. Crusher continues to examine the cellular residue, which suddenly, upon contact with her skin, takes the form of her hand.
 
  +
Circumstantial evidence now points to Uhnari as possibly having killed Rocha, but she hotly denies this to Riker and Worf. Riker informs her that the phaser was found set on level ten and all phasers in weapons lockers are required to be set on level one. Uhnari still cannot recall what happened after her struggle with Rocha, but admits she may have used the phaser in self-defense. Riker tells her that to inflict the cellular damage found in Rocha's remains, it would take a sustained phaser blast on level ten of thirty to forty seconds. At this point, La Forge defends her, saying that the phaser found hasn't even been established to be the murder weapon. La Forge tells Riker he is heading back to the station to try to retrieve Rocha's logs. Riker stops him on the way out and asks him as a friend and not his superior officer that he not get involved more with Uhnari, so his relationship doesn't cloud his judgment. La Forge responds back that he's "''not the one making judgments.''"
  +
 
Commander Morag arrives shortly thereafter. He describes how he investigated the station when they did not answer his hails. He also confesses that he was the one who tried to bypass the access protocols and filched 27 priority Starfleet messages, but that while he saw blood and signs of a struggle, he did not kill anyone. Torak has Morag remain on the ''Enterprise'' under Starfleet custody at Picard's request, as he does not want to cause a diplomatic incident with the Federation.
  +
  +
On the station, La Forge discovers that Uhnari had established a subspace link with a console on the relay station and deleted a number of Rocha's [[personal log]]s, including a letter he was planning to send to [[Starfleet Command]]. Citing her as "belligerent and insubordinate", Rocha had planned to ask for a [[formal hearing]]. She explains that she did so because she was afraid that if Starfleet found the letter, they would place the blame on her for the murder. Knowing her pattern of running away in panic when she is afraid, La Forge advises her to stay and face what has happened, and she agrees. They [[kiss]] passionately.
  +
  +
:"''Medical officer's log, supplemental. I've isolated the cellular residue from the deck plate, but the DNA has destabilized. I'm attempting to reform it.''"
  +
  +
On the ''Enterprise'', Dr. Crusher continues to examine the cellular residue in sickbay; she is having trouble getting a stable DNA reading and finds that the [[nucleotide]] sequence is fluctuating. Suddenly, upon contact with her skin, the residue takes the form of her hand.
   
 
=== Act Five ===
 
=== Act Five ===
 
[[File:Coalescent organism.jpg|thumb|A coalescent organism]]
 
[[File:Coalescent organism.jpg|thumb|A coalescent organism]]
Crusher explains to Picard that these are not Rocha's remains, but a [[coalescent organism]] that feeds off other [[lifeform]]s, then assumes their shape. Rocha never worked at the station; it was the [[shapeshifter]] who killed him at his last post of duty in the remote [[Triona system]] and took his place. Crusher warns that what appears to be Uhnari may actually be the creature, the same applies for Morag. Meanwhile, Uhnari introduces La Forge to a [[Haliian]] custom in which their minds can telepathically connect, amplified by a large crystal ornament called a [[Canar]]. Riker breaks in and disrupts their session.
+
On the station, Uhnari and La Forge are quite close, and she introduces him to a Haliian custom in which their minds can telepathically connect, amplified by a large crystal ornament called a [[canar]].
   
  +
:"''Medical officer's log, supplemental. Commander Morag and Lieutenant Uhnari are being kept under close observation. So far, no sign of coalescent behaviour has surfaced.''"
While Uhnari is examined, La Forge returns to his quarters, where he's been keeping Uhnari's dog Maura. The dog attacks him; the creature had been the canine, not Uhnari. When it starts morphing again, Geordi shoots at him with his phaser, this has virtually no effect until he ups his phaser and so kills the creature.
 
   
  +
Meanwhile, Crusher explains to Picard that the remains are not Rocha's either, but a [[coalescent organism]] that feeds off other [[lifeform]]s, then assumes their shape. Rocha never had worked at the station; it was the [[shapeshifter]] that killed him at his last post of duty, in the remote [[Triona system]], and taken his place. Crusher warns that what appears to be Uhnari may actually be the creature, but the same also applies for Morag. Worf and Riker leave to find them. Riker enters as La Forge and Uhnari are linked by the canar, aiming his phaser at the lieutenant and telling her to step aside from La Forge.
In Ten Forward, La Forge tells his theory, that Uhnari's [[memory loss]] after the Rocha-like creature attacked her was caused by the beginning coalescing process; which explains her feeling of having her memory drained out. Unhari realizes she may indeed have taken the phaser and shot.
 
She is grateful to La Forge for his advice and friendship but refuses his offer to recommend her for a post. She knows she is not an ideal Starfleet officer, but tells him she is considering staying in Starfleet and perhaps one day serving aboard the ''Enterprise''.
 
{{pna-episode}}
 
   
  +
While Uhnari and Morag are being examined, La Forge returns to his quarters, where he's been keeping Maura. The dog approaches him; he assumes she wants to play, but suddenly, Maura begins to morph into the coalescent organism they are searching for, and attacks La Forge. With the organism blocking his escape route, he grabs his phaser that was in his drawer and fires, but it does no damage to the organism. La Forge resets his phaser to maximum and fires again, vaporizing the organism completely. Catching his breath, La Forge sits on the floor relieved and thankful to be alive.
== Memorable Quotes ==
 
"''We found traces of Klingon DNA on the station.''"<br />
 
"''You still try to blame us!''"<br />
 
"''Have the courage to admit your mistakes. Or are you a ''[[lo'Be Vos]]''?''"<br />
 
"''At least I do not wear the uniform of the ''[[petaQ]]''!''"
 
: - '''Worf''' and '''Governor Torak ''' butting heads
 
   
  +
In Ten Forward, La Forge tells his theory, that Uhnari's [[memory loss]] after the Rocha-like creature attacked her was caused by the beginning of coalescing process; she felt her memory was being drained out because it was. Uhnari realizes she may indeed have taken the phaser and shot. She is grateful to La Forge for his advice and friendship, but refuses his offer to recommend her for a post in communications on board. She knows she is not an ideal Starfleet officer, but tells him she is considering staying in Starfleet and perhaps one day serving aboard the ''Enterprise'' &ndash; when she can earn the position on her own merits. La Forge takes her hands and holds them. She holds his as well.
   
  +
=== Log entries ===
  +
* [[Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2369#Supply mission to Relay Station 47|Captain's log, USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-D), 2369]]
  +
* [[Medical officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)#Investigation at Relay Station 47|Medical officer's log, USS ''Enterprise'' (NCC-1701-D)]]
  +
 
== Memorable quotes ==
 
"''The Klingon Empire will not stand for these kinds of lies!''"<br />
 
"''The Klingon Empire will not stand for these kinds of lies!''"<br />
"''Governor Torak... I apologize. I can see that you honestly didn't know what happened aboard the station. I will just have to take this matter up with Gowron. I'm ''really'' sorry that we bothered you.''"
+
"''Governor Torak&hellip; I apologize. I can see that you honestly didn't know what happened aboard the station. I will just have to take this matter up with Gowron. I'm ''really'' sorry that we bothered you.''"
: - '''Torak''' speaks with '''Picard''' after Aquiel Uhnari stated in a log she was harassed by Morag, a Klingon
+
: - '''Torak''' speaking with '''Picard''', after Aquiel Uhnari stated in a log she was harassed by Morag, a Klingon
  +
  +
 
"''We found traces of Klingon DNA on the station.''"<br />
 
"''You still try to blame us?!''"<br />
 
"''Have the courage to admit your mistakes. Or are you a ''[[lo'Be Vos]]''?''"<br />
 
"''At least I do not wear the uniform of the ''[[petaQ]]''!''"
 
: - '''Worf''' and '''Governor Torak''' butting heads
   
   
"''Lieutenant Uhnari's logs reported that Commander Morag had been harassing the station.''"<br />
+
"''Governor, we are merely exploring all the possibilities. Lieutenant Uhnari's logs reported that Commander Morag had been harassing the station.''"<br />
 
"''He was doing his job.''"<br />
 
"''He was doing his job.''"<br />
  +
"''If he was only doing his job, then I'm sure you won't mind if we spoke with him.''"<br />
  +
"''Very well. In the interests of diplomacy, I will allow you to speak to Morag. But my patience has limits!''"
 
: - '''Captain Picard''' and '''Governor Torak'''
 
: - '''Captain Picard''' and '''Governor Torak'''
   
Line 99: Line 103:
 
"''Geordi?''"<br />
 
"''Geordi?''"<br />
 
"''I can ''see'' you. Oh, and I can feel you.''"
 
"''I can ''see'' you. Oh, and I can feel you.''"
: - '''Aquiel Uhnari''' and '''La Forge''' while they both use the ''canar'' to create a bond between them
+
: - '''Aquiel Uhnari''' and '''La Forge''', while they both use the ''canar'' to create a bond between them
   
   
"''What are you doing, commander?''"<br />
+
"''What are you doing, Commander?''"<br />
 
"''That may not be Lieutenant Uhnari.''"
 
"''That may not be Lieutenant Uhnari.''"
: - '''La Forge''' to '''Riker''' while he has a phaser pointed at Aquiel
+
: - '''La Forge''' to '''Riker''', while he has a phaser pointed at Aquiel
   
   
"Concerned?"<br />
+
"''Concerned?''"<br />
: - '''Counselor Troi''' - her only line of dialogue
+
: - '''Counselor Troi''', her only line of dialogue
   
== Background Information ==
+
== Background information ==
=== Story and production ===
+
=== Production history ===
  +
* Final draft script: {{d|5|November|1992}} {{Star Trek Minutiae|resources/scripts/239.txt}}
  +
* Premiere airdate: {{d|1|February|1993}}
 
* First UK airdate: {{d|4|October|1995}}
  +
  +
=== Story and script ===
 
[[File:Filming Aquiel.jpg|thumb|Filming the episode]]
 
[[File:Filming Aquiel.jpg|thumb|Filming the episode]]
* This story began as another attempt at providing Geordi with a recurring romance. At [[Michael Piller]]'s suggestion, this was tied into a mystery in the manner of the 1944 film {{wt|Laura (1944 film)|Laura}}, starring Gene Tierney, in which a detective investigating the murder of a woman named Laura falls in love with her, only to discover that she is alive and may herself be a killer. (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'')
+
* This story began as another attempt at providing La Forge with a recurring romance. [[Jeri Taylor]] recalled, "''We were looking for a new spin to put on a love story. A straight love story didn't seem good enough.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 269)
  +
* At [[Michael Piller]]'s suggestion, the romance was tied into a mystery in the manner of the 1944 film {{wt|Laura (1944 film)|Laura}}, starring {{w|Gene Tierney}}, in which a [[detective]] investigating the murder of a woman named Laura falls in love with her, only to discover that she is alive and may herself be a killer. ({{tngc|2|232}})
* With [[Colm Meaney]] ([[Miles O'Brien]]) and [[Rosalind Chao]]'s ([[Keiko O'Brien]]) departure from the series to ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]'', TNG had lost its only married couple. It was hoped that this episode would show that marriage and serious relationships still existed in the [[24th century]]. As [[Jeri Taylor]] observed, ''"We now portray the twenty-fourth century as being full of single people...It seems to me that's not the comment we should be making - that marriage and serious relationships ''do'' survive into the twenty-fourth century."'' (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'') One season later, however, recurring [[Nurse]] [[Alyssa Ogawa]] and her husband [[Andrew Powell]] started a family, so eventually the idea was pursued.
+
* With [[Colm Meaney]] ([[Miles O'Brien]]) and [[Rosalind Chao]]'s ([[Keiko O'Brien]]) departure from the series to {{s|DS9}}, TNG had lost its only married couple. It was hoped that this episode would show that marriage and serious relationships still existed in the [[24th century]]. As Taylor observed, "''We now portray the twenty-fourth century as being full of single people [&hellip;] It seems to me that's not the comment we should be making &ndash; that marriage and serious relationships ''do'' survive into the twenty-fourth century.''" ({{tngc|2|232}}) One season later, however, recurring [[Nurse]] [[Alyssa Ogawa]] and her husband [[Andrew Powell]] started a family, so eventually the idea was pursued.
* At first, Aquiel was to have been the killer, but it was felt that this was too similar to the film {{wt|Basic Instinct}}. Keith Rocha and Morag were next considered, but dismissed as too obvious. According to [[Ronald D. Moore]], "''At one point, we finally said 'Why not the dog?{{'}}''" Moore joked that he and Braga had considered calling the episode "Murder, My Pet!" (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'')
 
  +
* [[Brannon Braga]], [[Ronald D. Moore]] and Taylor spent two days breaking the story. Braga recalled that it was a "torturous experience". (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 269)
* Maura was played by [[Friday (dog)|Friday]], a terrier mix. The dog had previously played Commissioner Robert Scorpio's dog on {{wt|General Hospital}}. (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'')
 
 
* At first, Aquiel was to have been the killer, but it was felt that this was too similar to the film {{wt|Basic Instinct}}. Keith Rocha and Morag were next considered, but dismissed as too obvious. According to Moore, "''At one point, we finally said 'Why not the dog?{{'}} He had always been in the script; we had meant to leave him with Geordi from that time on.''" Moore joked that he and Braga had considered calling the episode "Murder, My Pet!" ({{tngc|2|233}})
* First UK airdate: 4 October 1995
 
  +
* Early drafts of the script included more backstory and family history for La Forge. This was dropped as it was felt that it was loading down the story. (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 269-270)
  +
* The writers struggled with creating a mystery that couldn't be solved by [[24th century]] technology. Moore remembered, "''We were at pains trying to make the murder mystery harder than it needed to be, so the script became very [[technobabble]] heavy.''" He added, "''Technology had run amok on the show. People had gotten careless about establishing what devices like the tricorder could do, and we were stuck with that. Walk into a room with a tricorder and it could tell you who'd been in there, and what they'd done [&hellip;] We were always trying to trip up the technology. It was just too powerful.''" (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation 365]]'', p. 290)
   
=== Continuity ===
+
=== Production ===
 
* Maura was played by {{dis|Friday|dog}}, a terrier mix. The dog had previously played Commissioner Robert Scorpio's dog on {{wt|General Hospital}}. ({{tngc|2|233}})
* It is noted that at this point there has been no Klingon raid on the Federation in "seven years". Moore added this to show that the situation can still be uneasy in the Federation-Klingon alliance. (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'')
 
* There are several references barely legible in [[Keith Rocha]]'s log on the screen, including his linking of an [[Andorian]] comm channel, having a competition with a {{dis|Ryan|Saratoga officer}} aboard the {{USS|Saratoga|2374}}, [[Starbase 237]] in the [[Delta Vega]] [[sector]], and that [[Starfleet]] had diverted several starships to "the [[Epsilon IX station]]", implying they rebuilt it after {{film|1}}.
 
* Also, in the logs, the [[stardate]]s are sequential by dates: "46455, 46456, 46457, 46458..."
 
 
* The golden tape in Aquiel Uhnari's quarters aboard the station was previously worn by [[Nehemiah Persoff]] as [[Palor Toff]] in the [[TNG Season 3|third season]] episode {{e|The Most Toys}}.
 
* The golden tape in Aquiel Uhnari's quarters aboard the station was previously worn by [[Nehemiah Persoff]] as [[Palor Toff]] in the [[TNG Season 3|third season]] episode {{e|The Most Toys}}.
 
* The look of the [[coalescent organism]] disappointed the staff. Visual Effects Supervisor [[Ronald B. Moore]] recalled that many names were given to the creature, and that "''Mr. Peanut was probably the kindest that I had.''" (''Select Historical Data Year Six: To CGI or Not to CGI'', [[TNG Season 6 DVD]] special feature) Moore noted that the effect was subcontracted out and was delivered without enough time for the touch-ups to add texture and motion that he felt were needed. ({{tngc|2|233}})
  +
  +
=== Continuity ===
 
* It is noted that at this point there has been no Klingon raid on the Federation in "seven years" (i.e. since [[2362]]). Ronald D. Moore added this to show that the situation could still be uneasy in the Federation-Klingon alliance. ({{tngc|2|233}})
 
* There are several references barely legible in [[Keith Rocha]]'s log on the screen, including his linking of an [[Andorian]] comm channel, having a competition with a {{dis|Ryan|Saratoga officer}} aboard the {{USS|Saratoga|2374}}, [[Starbase 237]] in the [[Delta Vega]] [[sector]], and that [[Starfleet]] had diverted several starships to "the [[Epsilon IX station]]", implying they rebuilt it after its destruction by ''[[V'ger]]'' in {{film|1}}.
   
 
=== Reception ===
 
=== Reception ===
* Many [[production staff]] members were disappointed with this episode, considered to be the weakest of the generally good [[TNG Season 6|sixth season]]. (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'')
+
* Many [[production staff]] members were disappointed with this episode, considered to be the weakest of the generally good [[TNG Season 6|sixth season]]. ({{tngc|2|233}})
* In the ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'', Jeri Taylor says she felt Renée Jones was not suited to the nature of the series and that she and the chemistry between her and [[LeVar Burton]] "never clicked".
+
* Jeri Taylor felt that Renée Jones was not suited to the nature of the series and that there was little chemistry between her and [[LeVar Burton]]. She commented, "Star Trek'' sometimes does to actors what it does to writers &ndash; people who are very effective in one kind of thing feel very exposed. So I don't think this was quite her cup of tea.''" ({{tngc|2|233}})
* When asked what he would have done differently in his time on ''[[Star Trek]]'', Moore stated that he would not have written "Aquiel". {{AOLchat|Ronald D. Moore|ron010|1997}}
+
* When asked what he would have done differently in his time on ''[[Star Trek]]'', Ronald D. Moore stated that he would not have written "Aquiel". {{AOLchat|Ronald D. Moore|ron010|1997}}
  +
* Moore did, however, enjoy the Klingon subplot. "''I thought it was a nice little runner. I didn't want to make that any biggeer than it was. But in the final product, it was one of the more intriguing things [&hellip;] it was just a cool little C story.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 269)
* The look of the [[coalescent organism]] also disappointed the staff. The designer said in an interview that many names were given to the creature, and that "''[...] Mr. Peanut was probably the kindest that I had.''" FX supervisor [[Ronald B. Moore]] stated that the effect was subcontracted out and was delivered without enough time for the touch-ups to add texture and motion that he felt were needed. (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion]]'')
 
  +
* Brannon Braga had mixed feelings. He recalled, "''I thought it was going to be terrible, but when I sat down and watched it I kind of liked the mystery. I rather enjoyed that the dog did it. Ultimately, I didn't think the romance part worked but I liked the feel of the episode, which had a rather tragic, mysterious feel to it.''" (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 269)
   
 
=== Video and DVD releases ===
 
=== Video and DVD releases ===
*UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, [[CIC Video]]): Volume 70, <!--catalogue number x, -->{{d|6|September|1993}}.
+
*UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, [[CIC Video]]): Volume 70, <!--catalog number x, -->{{d|6|September|1993}}
*As part of the [[TNG Season 6 DVD]] collection.
+
*As part of the [[TNG Season 6 DVD]] collection
   
 
== Links and references ==
 
== Links and references ==
 
=== Starring ===
 
=== Starring ===
* [[Patrick Stewart]] as [[Captain|Capt.]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]]
+
* [[Patrick Stewart]] as [[Capt.]] [[Jean-Luc Picard]]
* [[Jonathan Frakes]] as [[Commander|Cmdr.]] [[William T. Riker|William Riker]]
+
* [[Jonathan Frakes]] as [[Cmdr.]] [[William T. Riker|William Riker]]
   
 
=== Also starring ===
 
=== Also starring ===
 
* [[LeVar Burton]] as [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Cmdr.]] [[Geordi La Forge]]
 
* [[LeVar Burton]] as [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Cmdr.]] [[Geordi La Forge]]
 
* [[Michael Dorn]] as [[Lieutenant]] [[Worf]]
 
* [[Michael Dorn]] as [[Lieutenant]] [[Worf]]
* [[Gates McFadden]] as [[Doctor|Dr.]] [[Beverly Crusher]]
+
* [[Gates McFadden]] as [[Dr.]] [[Beverly Crusher]]
 
* [[Marina Sirtis]] as [[Counselor]] [[Deanna Troi]]
 
* [[Marina Sirtis]] as [[Counselor]] [[Deanna Troi]]
 
* [[Brent Spiner]] as [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Commander]] [[Data]]
 
* [[Brent Spiner]] as [[Lieutenant Commander|Lt. Commander]] [[Data]]
Line 149: Line 164:
 
=== Guest stars ===
 
=== Guest stars ===
 
* [[Renée Jones]] as [[Aquiel Uhnari]]
 
* [[Renée Jones]] as [[Aquiel Uhnari]]
* [[Wayne Grace]] as [[Torak (Governor)|Torak]]
+
* [[Wayne Grace]] as {{dis|Torak|Governor}}
   
 
=== Co-stars ===
 
=== Co-stars ===
Line 160: Line 175:
 
* [[Cameron]] as [[Kellogg]]
 
* [[Cameron]] as [[Kellogg]]
 
* [[Tracee Lee Cocco]] as [[Jae]]
 
* [[Tracee Lee Cocco]] as [[Jae]]
* [[John Copage]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) personnel#Elderly science / command division officer|science division officer]]
+
* [[John Copage]] as [[USS Enterprise-D elderly sci cmd 001|science division officer]]
 
* [[Friday (dog)|Friday]] as [[Maura]]
 
* [[Friday (dog)|Friday]] as [[Maura]]
* [[Christie Haydon]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) command division personnel#Flight controller (2369)|command division ensign]]
+
* [[Christie Haydon]] as [[USS Enterprise-D conn officers command 012|command division ensign]]
* [[Kerry Hoyt]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) operations division personnel#Relief tactical ensign (2369-2371)|operations division ensign]]
+
* [[Kerry Hoyt]] as [[USS Enterprise-D tactical operations 003|operations division ensign]]
 
* [[Arvo Katajisto]] as [[Torigan]]
 
* [[Arvo Katajisto]] as [[Torigan]]
* [[Michael Moorehead]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) sciences division personnel#Bridge science ensign|science division ensign]]
+
* [[Rad Milo]] as [[USS Enterprise-D ops officer 001|operations division ensign]]
  +
* [[Michael Moorehead]] as [[Enterprise-D science bridge ensign 001|science division ensign]]
* [[Joyce Robinson]] as [[Gates]]
+
* [[Joycelyn Robinson]] as [[Gates]]
* [[Noriko Suzuki]] as [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) operations division personnel#Female engineer|operations division ensign]]
+
* [[Noriko Suzuki]] as [[USS Enterprise-D engineer ensign 003|operations division ensign]]
 
* [[Natalie Wood]] as [[Bailey]]
 
* [[Natalie Wood]] as [[Bailey]]
 
* [[Unknown performers]] as
 
* [[Unknown performers]] as
** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) command division personnel#Command division lieutenant (2369)|Command division lieutenant]]
+
** [[Enterprise-D command lieutenant 003|Command division lieutenant]]
** [[Unnamed USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) sciences division personnel#Female science officer at memorial service|Female science division officer]]
+
** [[Enterprise-D command female officer 006|Female command division officer]]
  +
** [[Enterprise-D science officer 012|Female science division officer]]
  +
** [[Enterprise-D science nurse 009|Female science division officer]]
 
** [[Klingon 24th Torak's guard 001|Klingon officer]]
 
** [[Keith Rocha]]
 
** [[Keith Rocha]]
  +
** [[Ten Forward staff 003|Ten Forward waitress]]
** [[Unnamed Klingon military personnel (24th century)#Torak's guard|Klingon officer]]
 
   
 
=== Stand-ins ===
 
=== Stand-ins ===
* [[David Keith Anderson]] - [[stand-in]] for [[LeVar Burton]]
+
* [[David Keith Anderson]] &ndash; [[stand-in]] for [[LeVar Burton]]
* [[Carl David Burks]] - stand-in for [[Brent Spiner]]
+
* [[Debbie David]] &ndash; stand-in for [[Brent Spiner]]
* [[Michael Echols]] - stand-in for [[Michael Dorn]]
+
* [[Michael Echols]] &ndash; stand-in for [[Michael Dorn]]
* [[Nora Leonhardt]] - stand-in for [[Marina Sirtis]]
+
* [[Nora Leonhardt]] &ndash; stand-in for [[Marina Sirtis]]
* [[Lorine Mendell]] - stand-in for [[Gates McFadden]]
+
* [[Lorine Mendell]] &ndash; stand-in for [[Gates McFadden]]
* [[Richard Sarstedt]] - stand-in for [[Jonathan Frakes]]
+
* [[Richard Sarstedt]] &ndash; stand-in for [[Jonathan Frakes]]
* [[Dennis Tracy]] - stand-in for [[Patrick Stewart]]
+
* [[Dennis Tracy]] &ndash; stand-in for [[Patrick Stewart]]
   
 
=== References ===
 
=== References ===
[[47]]; ''[[Batarael]]''; ''[[Canar]]''; [[coalescent organism]]; ''[[Cold Moon Over Blackwater]]''; [[Delta Vega sector]]; [[Deriben V]]; [[disruptor]]s; [[Epsilon IX station]]; [[Federation]]; ''[[The Fatal Revenge|Fatal Revenge, The]]''; [[governor]]; [[Halii]]; [[Haliian]]; [[Haliian language]]; [[hearing]]; ''[[Horath (song)|Horath]]''; [[iced coffee]]; [[Klingon]]s; [[Klingon Empire]]; [[level 2 diagnostic]]; [[level 3 diagnostic]]; [[memory module]]; [[message delay buffer]]; [[micro-vaporize]]; [[Muskan seed punch]]; [[Pendleton]]; [[Personal log, Aquiel Uhnari]]; [[Personal log, Keith Rocha]]; ''[[petaQ]]''; [[phase inducer]]; [[type 2 phaser|phaser, type 2]]; [[IKS Qu'Vat|''Qu'Vat'', IKS]]; [[Relay Station 47]]; [[Relay Station 194]]; {{dis|Ryan|Saratoga officer}}; [[USS Saratoga (NCC-31911)|''Saratoga'', USS]]; [[Sector 2520]]; [[Shianna]]; [[shuttlecraft]]; [[Starbase 12]]; [[Starbase 212]]; [[Starbase 237]]; [[Starfleet Command]]; [[subspace relay station]]; [[Triona system]]; [[type 2 phaser]]; ''[[Verne]]''; [[wig]]
+
[[23rd century]]; [[2362]]; [[2368]]; [[47]]; [[accusation]]; [[alpha shift]]; [[Haliian parents 001|Aquiel's parents]]; [[Arbiter of Succession]]; [[audio monitoring system]]; {{dis|bark|sound}}; ''[[Batarael]]''; [[beta shift]]; [[canar]]; [[cellular level]]; [[coalescent organism]]; ''[[Cold Moon Over Blackwater]]''; [[communication relay station]]; [[life cycle|cycle]]; [[deck plate]]; [[Deriben V]]; [[diagnostic cycle]]; [[disruptor]]s; [[DNA]]; [[duty engineer]]; [[duty roster]]; [[evidence]]; ''{{revname|The|Fatal Revenge}}''; [[Federation]]; [[Federation-Klingon border]]; [[formal hearing]]; [[generation]]; [[gothic fiction]]; [[governor]]; [[Gowron]]; [[Haliian]]; [[Haliian language]]; ''{{dis|Horath|song}}''; [[hour]]; [[iced coffee]]; [[impulse propulsion officer]]; [[irritable]]; [[Klingon]]s; [[Klingon Empire]]; [[Klingonese]]; [[Klingon patrol ship]]; [[Klingon space]]; [[level 2 diagnostic]]; [[level 2 specialist]]; [[level 3 diagnostic]]; [[lie]]; {{dis|Maura|character}} (character); {{dis|Maura|alias}} (imposter); [[memory module]]; [[message delay buffer]]; [[micro-vaporize]]; [[Milky Way Galaxy]]; [[Muskan seed punch]]; [[network relay tech]]; [[nucleotide sequence]]s; [[nightstand]]; [[nowadays]]; ''[[oumriel]]''; [[Pendleton]]; [[Personal log, Aquiel Uhnari]]; [[Personal log, Keith Rocha]]; ''[[petaQ]]''; [[phase inducer]]; [[phaser discharge]]; [[pooch]]; {{revname|type 2|phaser}}; {{IKSr|Qu'Vat}}; [[Relay Station 47]]; [[Relay Station 194]]; [[Unnamed Alpha and Beta Quadrant sectors#Triona system sector|remote sector]]; [[Sector 2520]]; [[sense of humor]]; [[service duct]]; [[Shianna]]; [[shuttlecraft]]; [[Starbase 12]]; [[Starbase 212]]; [[Starfleet]]; [[Starfleet Command]]; [[subspace relay station]]; [[suspect]]; [[transporter systems officer]]; [[Unnamed fixed installations#Triona outpost|Triona outpost]]; [[Triona system]]; [[Unnamed Alpha and Beta Quadrant sectors#Triona system sector|Triona system sector]]; [[Type 6 shuttlecraft]]; [[Deriben officer 001|Uhnari's former commanding officer]]; ''[[Verne]]''; {{class|Vor'cha}}; [[waiting list]]; [[warp propulsion officer]]; [[wig]]
  +
  +
==== Other references ====
  +
* '''Personal Service Record &ndash; Keith Rocha''': [[Beta'Elan Minor]]; {{revname|Douglas|Drexler|Starfleet}}; {{USSr|Mare Tranquillitatis}}; [[Network relay technician]]; [[New Lagos]]; [[Omega Cluster]]; [[Operations officer|Ops]]; {{revname|Bradley T.|Rocha}}; {{revname|Wendy D.|Rocha}}; [[Sector Ipai]]
  +
* '''Subspace Com Link 047''': [[Delta Vega sector]]; [[Epsilon IX station]]; {{revname|Keith|Rocha}}; [[Sector 32834]]; [[Starbase 11]]; [[Starbase 237]]; [[Starbase 515]]; {{dis|Taylor|Admiral}}
  +
* '''[[Sector Ipai Relay Log]]''': [[CGN Caroliqe|''Caroliqe'', CGN]]; [[CGN]]; {{USSr|Charleston}}; [[Commnet Three]]; [[Commnet Six]]; [[Commnet Seven]]; [[Commnet Ten]]; [[extragalactic space]]; [[GCA]]; {{USSr|Hood|Excelsior class}}; {{USSr|K'Warko}}; [[Mark VI warp drive]]; {{USSr|Merrimac|NCC-61827}}; [[GCA Metlaok|''Metlaok'', GCA]]; {{USSr|Quiele}}; [[Relay Station 001]]; [[Relay Station 67]]; [[Relay Station 102-A]]; [[Relay Station 452]]; [[Relay Station 8110]]; [[Relay Station 902N]]; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[Sector 001]]; [[Sector 0912]]; [[Sector 1540]]; [[Sector 5501]]; [[Sector 6701]]; [[Sector 8912]]; [[Sector 21834]]; [[Sector 22855]]; [[Sector 23861]]; [[Sector 25712]]; [[Sector 80912]]; [[Sector 89102]]; [[Starbase 56]]; [[Starbase 78]]; [[Starbase 4112]]; [[Starbase Meta]]; [[Starfleet Commnet One]]; [[Starfleet Commnet Three]]; [[Starfleet Commnet Four]]; [[Starfleet Commnet Seven]]; {{USSr|Zhukov}}
  +
* '''Starfleet Comm Traffic 77813''': {{SSr|Molokai}}; [[Science Station 0812]]
  +
* '''Ops Record 44712''': [[Research Station 091]]
  +
* '''[[Personal log, Keith Rocha]]''': [[Epsilon IX station]]; [[Unnamed Federation starships (24th century)#Epsilon IX starships|Epsilon IX starships]]
  +
* '''[[Starship mission status]]''': {{USSr|Ajax}}; [[Alpha Laputa IV]]; {{Class|Ambassador}}; {{Class|Apollo}}; {{USSr|Aries}}; {{USSr|Berlin}}; [[Beta Mahoga system]]; {{USSr|Bradbury}}; {{Class|Bradbury}}; {{USSr|Charleston}}; {{Class|Constellation}}; [[Epsilon Ashanti III]]; {{Class|Excelsior}}; {{USSr|Fearless}}; {{USSr|Goddard}}; {{USSr|Hood|Excelsior class}}; {{Class|Korolev}}; {{Class|Merced}}; {{USSr|Merrimac|NCC-61827}}; {{USSr|Monitor}}; {{Class|Nebula}}; {{class|New Orleans}}; [[pulsar]]; {{Class|Renaissance}}; {{USSr|Repulse}}; [[Romulan Neutral Zone]]; [[sector]]; [[Sector 21538]]; [[Sector 21602]]; [[Sector 22036]]; [[Sector 22055]]; [[Sector 22358]]; [[Sector 22846]]; [[Sector 22853]]; [[Sector 23079]]; [[Starbase 174]]; [[Starbase 414]]; {{USSr|Thomas Paine}}; {{USSr|Trieste}}; {{USSr|Victory}}; [[Vulcan Science Academy]]; [[warp drive]]; {{USSr|Zhukov}}
  +
* '''Spacecraft Systems Status''': [[Bussard collector]]; [[captain's yacht]]; [[class M]]; [[gross vehicle mass]]; [[impulse drive|impulse engine]]; [[main shuttlebay]] [[Mars]]; [[navigational deflector]]; [[observation lounge]]; [[phaser bank]]; [[service docking port]]; [[shuttlebay 2]]; [[shuttlebay 3]]; [[torpedo launcher]]; [[umbilical connect port]]; [[Utopia Planitia]]; [[warp nacelle]]
  +
* '''Engineering Dept Duty Roster''': [[chief engineer]]; [[duty engineer]]; [[impulse propulsion officer]]; [[transporter systems officer]]; [[warp propulsion officer]]
  +
  +
===External links===
  +
* {{mbeta-quote|Aquiel}}
  +
* {{Wikipedia-quote|Aquiel}}
  +
* {{startrek.com|database_article/aquiel|"Aquiel"|external}}
  +
* {{ml|aquiel|"Aquiel"|external}}
  +
* {{st-minutiae|resources/scripts/239.txt|"Aquiel" script|external}}
  +
   
{{TNG nav|season=6|last={{e|Ship in a Bottle}}|next={{e|Face of the Enemy}}}}
+
{{TNG nav|season=6|last={{e|Ship In A Bottle}}|next={{e|Face Of The Enemy}}}}
   
 
[[de:Aquiel]]
 
[[de:Aquiel]]
 
[[es:Aquiel]]
 
[[es:Aquiel]]
[[fr:Aquiel]]
+
[[fr:Aquiel (épisode)]]
[[ja:TNG:謎の蒸発事件]]
+
[[ja:謎の蒸発事件(エピソード)]]
 
[[nl:Aquiel]]
 
[[nl:Aquiel]]
 
[[pl:Aquiel]]
 
[[pl:Aquiel]]

Latest revision as of 02:25, 9 November 2023

Real world article
(written from a Production point of view)

Aquiel redirects here; for the episode's namesake, please see Aquiel Uhnari.

Geordi La Forge falls in love with a woman accused of murder in an isolated communication relay station. The Enterprise crew investigates the crime; the only other suspect is a Klingon officer who frequently visited the station.

Summary

Teaser

Relay Station 47

Relay Station 47

"Captain's log, Stardate 46461.3. We have arrived at a communication relay station near the Klingon border, where we are scheduled to deliver supplies. However, the station has not responded to repeated hails."

The USS Enterprise-D has sent an away team composed of Dr. Crusher, Lieutenant Commander La Forge, Commander Riker, and Lieutenant Worf over to the Communications Relay Station 47. Upon arriving, they find the station has been abandoned and the audio monitoring system in disarray, with a few thousand subspace messages playing all at once. La Forge manages to deactivate the monitoring system. Investigating a banging noise from a service duct, Riker and La Forge find a large, fluffy white dog, hiding there. The station's shuttlecraft is missing, along with both Starfleet officers, Aquiel Uhnari and Keith Rocha. Dr. Crusher discovers cell residue on a deck plate, which must be the remains of one of the personnel.

Act One

Crusher confirms that the blood traces match those of Uhnari, so the doctor assumes the cellular residue is Uhnari's also, but must study it further in her lab to make certain. Geordi La Forge explains to Riker that encrypted subspace messages are all sent through a particular channel, and that someone has tried to bypass the access protocols, perhaps taking or rewriting some of the messages. He also mentions that the security lockouts froze up when it happened. La Forge accesses the station's logs from the nearby quarters, but at first can see only a handful of official and personal entries by Uhnari. Perusing the logs, he discovers that the dog was Uhnari's pet. Uhnari seems to be an upbeat person, though she appeared to have some intense friction with Rocha. The computer cuts out.

Meanwhile in sickbay, Dr. Crusher tries to get a clear DNA sample from the metallic plate, she guesses to Picard and Riker that a high-level phaser blast caused the death. It also could have been a Klingon disruptor, but Picard needs evidence since Klingon attacks have not occurred against the Federation for seven years.

In the quarters on board the station, La Forge orders a diagnostic while he gets an iced coffee from the room's replicator. Soon, he gets a visual of Uhnari.

Act Two

Uhnari's personal letters continue to reveal her to be a spirited, romantic Haliian woman who was abused by her father, is intensely homesick for the rest of her family and traditions, and has difficulty getting along with "egomaniac" Rocha. At one point, she confesses countermanding his orders by taking on additional com traffic, which Rocha ordered her not to, as he believed they could not handle the signal load. Uhnari tells her sister that Rocha will be furious with her when he eventually finds out. Uhnari also mentions in her log that a Commander Morag, an aggressive Klingon, has been harassing and threatening the station. La Forge reports this to Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who then asks the Klingon governor Torak to investigate. At first, the governor is hesitant to help but Picard uses his influence as Gowron's Arbiter of Succession to convince him to assist.

La Forge watches more of Lieutenant Uhnari's personal logs in his quarters. In the log, she states that she misses her mother's own muskan seed punch and how the replicators on the station cannot quite make it the same when a loud bang is heard. Uhnari asks if it is Rocha. The log suddenly goes to static.

Back on the station, Worf, Riker and La Forge continue the investigation. Worf has discovered traces of Klingon DNA. La Forge has most of Uhnari's logs, but cannot find Rocha's, telling Riker that whatever happened to the station's encrypted messages had a cascade effect on the communications storage system.

Eventually, the governor arrives at the Enterprise's position on the IKS Qu'Vat. Worf escorts Torak to the observation lounge and the governor has Uhnari brought in, with her uniform torn and looking battered but very much alive.

Act Three

Uhnari claims that Rocha suddenly and irrationally attacked her; she first tried to access the weapons locker, but next remembers escaping in the shuttle; she was picked up by the Klingons. Possibly owing to a head injury, Uhnari's memory for exactly what happened is spotty, she notes it's as if her memories of the incident have been drained out of her, but she doesn't remember Morag on the station when she left. Torak is faced with the evidence of Klingon DNA on the station, and continues to be angered by the accusation of any Klingon involvement. He permits them to talk to Morag. Dr. Crusher now assumes that the cellular residue on the station's deck plate is Rocha, but continues to analyze it.

While they wait for Commander Morag to arrive, La Forge escorts Uhnari out of the lounge, telling her he has a friend of hers that is probably eager to see her. La Forge brings Uhnari to his quarters, where he reunites her with her dog. The dog's name is revealed to be Maura, named after a character in Cold Moon Over Blackwater, a gothic novel. La Forge says Uhnari probably wants to be left alone in her assigned quarters after her recent ordeal, but she tells him that she would like to go to a place that has a lot of activity since she has spent nine months on the station with only Rocha to talk to. They go to Ten Forward, where La Forge reveals that he knows quite a bit about Uhnari, such as getting her muskan seed punch to drink and that she lived on a house on a hill growing up. When the lieutenant is surprised, La Forge confesses that he has reviewed her logs, as well as her personal correspondence. He explains that they thought she had been murdered and needed to investigate. Visibly upset, she first sees it as an invasion of privacy, but eventually comes to understand. La Forge brings up her contemptuous relationship with her superior officer, Keith Rocha. She considered him hostile and obnoxious and felt she had to battle him to hold her own. But, she insists, she did not want to see him dead. La Forge asks why Rocha attacked her but Uhnari does not know. While taking Uhnari to her quarters, she asks La Forge, since he knows her the best from anyone on the Enterprise, if she seems like a person who would murder someone. La Forge admits she doesn't. She wishes him a good night in Haliian.

Riker has Rocha's and Uhnari's Starfleet files brought up to Picard on his desktop monitor. According to Rocha's file, he seems to have been a bright and promising officer, not as nasty as Uhnari's experience of him. Uhnari's records, on the other hand, show her to be difficult and argumentative from her previous posting on Deriben V. Picard orders Riker to examine the shuttle thoroughly to shed more light on her story, since there's still no hard evidence. There, Worf finds a missing phaser from the station in a small compartment under the shuttlecraft's helm controls: it is set to kill.

Act Four

"Captain's log, supplemental. The Qu'Vat has arrived with Commander Morag. We are preparing to question him regarding his involvement in the murder of Lieutenant Rocha."
William Riker shows Aquiel Uhnari a hidden phaser

"It was taken from the weapons locker on the station."
"I told you, I don't remember what happened!"

Circumstantial evidence now points to Uhnari as possibly having killed Rocha, but she hotly denies this to Riker and Worf. Riker informs her that the phaser was found set on level ten and all phasers in weapons lockers are required to be set on level one. Uhnari still cannot recall what happened after her struggle with Rocha, but admits she may have used the phaser in self-defense. Riker tells her that to inflict the cellular damage found in Rocha's remains, it would take a sustained phaser blast on level ten of thirty to forty seconds. At this point, La Forge defends her, saying that the phaser found hasn't even been established to be the murder weapon. La Forge tells Riker he is heading back to the station to try to retrieve Rocha's logs. Riker stops him on the way out and asks him as a friend and not his superior officer that he not get involved more with Uhnari, so his relationship doesn't cloud his judgment. La Forge responds back that he's "not the one making judgments."

Commander Morag arrives shortly thereafter. He describes how he investigated the station when they did not answer his hails. He also confesses that he was the one who tried to bypass the access protocols and filched 27 priority Starfleet messages, but that while he saw blood and signs of a struggle, he did not kill anyone. Torak has Morag remain on the Enterprise under Starfleet custody at Picard's request, as he does not want to cause a diplomatic incident with the Federation.

On the station, La Forge discovers that Uhnari had established a subspace link with a console on the relay station and deleted a number of Rocha's personal logs, including a letter he was planning to send to Starfleet Command. Citing her as "belligerent and insubordinate", Rocha had planned to ask for a formal hearing. She explains that she did so because she was afraid that if Starfleet found the letter, they would place the blame on her for the murder. Knowing her pattern of running away in panic when she is afraid, La Forge advises her to stay and face what has happened, and she agrees. They kiss passionately.

"Medical officer's log, supplemental. I've isolated the cellular residue from the deck plate, but the DNA has destabilized. I'm attempting to reform it."

On the Enterprise, Dr. Crusher continues to examine the cellular residue in sickbay; she is having trouble getting a stable DNA reading and finds that the nucleotide sequence is fluctuating. Suddenly, upon contact with her skin, the residue takes the form of her hand.

Act Five

Coalescent organism

A coalescent organism

On the station, Uhnari and La Forge are quite close, and she introduces him to a Haliian custom in which their minds can telepathically connect, amplified by a large crystal ornament called a canar.

"Medical officer's log, supplemental. Commander Morag and Lieutenant Uhnari are being kept under close observation. So far, no sign of coalescent behaviour has surfaced."

Meanwhile, Crusher explains to Picard that the remains are not Rocha's either, but a coalescent organism that feeds off other lifeforms, then assumes their shape. Rocha never had worked at the station; it was the shapeshifter that killed him at his last post of duty, in the remote Triona system, and taken his place. Crusher warns that what appears to be Uhnari may actually be the creature, but the same also applies for Morag. Worf and Riker leave to find them. Riker enters as La Forge and Uhnari are linked by the canar, aiming his phaser at the lieutenant and telling her to step aside from La Forge.

While Uhnari and Morag are being examined, La Forge returns to his quarters, where he's been keeping Maura. The dog approaches him; he assumes she wants to play, but suddenly, Maura begins to morph into the coalescent organism they are searching for, and attacks La Forge. With the organism blocking his escape route, he grabs his phaser that was in his drawer and fires, but it does no damage to the organism. La Forge resets his phaser to maximum and fires again, vaporizing the organism completely. Catching his breath, La Forge sits on the floor relieved and thankful to be alive.

In Ten Forward, La Forge tells his theory, that Uhnari's memory loss after the Rocha-like creature attacked her was caused by the beginning of coalescing process; she felt her memory was being drained out because it was. Uhnari realizes she may indeed have taken the phaser and shot. She is grateful to La Forge for his advice and friendship, but refuses his offer to recommend her for a post in communications on board. She knows she is not an ideal Starfleet officer, but tells him she is considering staying in Starfleet and perhaps one day serving aboard the Enterprise – when she can earn the position on her own merits. La Forge takes her hands and holds them. She holds his as well.

Log entries

Memorable quotes

"The Klingon Empire will not stand for these kinds of lies!"
"Governor Torak… I apologize. I can see that you honestly didn't know what happened aboard the station. I will just have to take this matter up with Gowron. I'm really sorry that we bothered you."

- Torak speaking with Picard, after Aquiel Uhnari stated in a log she was harassed by Morag, a Klingon


"We found traces of Klingon DNA on the station."
"You still try to blame us?!"
"Have the courage to admit your mistakes. Or are you a lo'Be Vos?"
"At least I do not wear the uniform of the petaQ!"

- Worf and Governor Torak butting heads


"Governor, we are merely exploring all the possibilities. Lieutenant Uhnari's logs reported that Commander Morag had been harassing the station."
"He was doing his job."
"If he was only doing his job, then I'm sure you won't mind if we spoke with him."
"Very well. In the interests of diplomacy, I will allow you to speak to Morag. But my patience has limits!"

- Captain Picard and Governor Torak


"You know me better than anyone here. Do I seem like the kind of person who would murder someone?"
"No, you don't."

- Aquiel Uhnari and La Forge


"I think you've let your personal feelings cloud your judgment."
"I'm not the one making judgments."

- Riker and La Forge


"Geordi?"
"I can see you. Oh, and I can feel you."

- Aquiel Uhnari and La Forge, while they both use the canar to create a bond between them


"What are you doing, Commander?"
"That may not be Lieutenant Uhnari."

- La Forge to Riker, while he has a phaser pointed at Aquiel


"Concerned?"

- Counselor Troi, her only line of dialogue

Background information

Production history

Story and script

Filming Aquiel

Filming the episode

  • This story began as another attempt at providing La Forge with a recurring romance. Jeri Taylor recalled, "We were looking for a new spin to put on a love story. A straight love story didn't seem good enough." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 269)
  • At Michael Piller's suggestion, the romance was tied into a mystery in the manner of the 1944 film Laura, starring Gene Tierney, in which a detective investigating the murder of a woman named Laura falls in love with her, only to discover that she is alive and may herself be a killer. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 232))
  • With Colm Meaney (Miles O'Brien) and Rosalind Chao's (Keiko O'Brien) departure from the series to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, TNG had lost its only married couple. It was hoped that this episode would show that marriage and serious relationships still existed in the 24th century. As Taylor observed, "We now portray the twenty-fourth century as being full of single people […] It seems to me that's not the comment we should be making – that marriage and serious relationships do survive into the twenty-fourth century." (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 232)) One season later, however, recurring Nurse Alyssa Ogawa and her husband Andrew Powell started a family, so eventually the idea was pursued.
  • Brannon Braga, Ronald D. Moore and Taylor spent two days breaking the story. Braga recalled that it was a "torturous experience". (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 269)
  • At first, Aquiel was to have been the killer, but it was felt that this was too similar to the film Basic Instinct. Keith Rocha and Morag were next considered, but dismissed as too obvious. According to Moore, "At one point, we finally said 'Why not the dog?' He had always been in the script; we had meant to leave him with Geordi from that time on." Moore joked that he and Braga had considered calling the episode "Murder, My Pet!" (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 233))
  • Early drafts of the script included more backstory and family history for La Forge. This was dropped as it was felt that it was loading down the story. (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 269-270)
  • The writers struggled with creating a mystery that couldn't be solved by 24th century technology. Moore remembered, "We were at pains trying to make the murder mystery harder than it needed to be, so the script became very technobabble heavy." He added, "Technology had run amok on the show. People had gotten careless about establishing what devices like the tricorder could do, and we were stuck with that. Walk into a room with a tricorder and it could tell you who'd been in there, and what they'd done […] We were always trying to trip up the technology. It was just too powerful." (Star Trek: The Next Generation 365, p. 290)

Production

Continuity

Reception

  • Many production staff members were disappointed with this episode, considered to be the weakest of the generally good sixth season. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 233))
  • Jeri Taylor felt that Renée Jones was not suited to the nature of the series and that there was little chemistry between her and LeVar Burton. She commented, "Star Trek sometimes does to actors what it does to writers – people who are very effective in one kind of thing feel very exposed. So I don't think this was quite her cup of tea." (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion (2nd ed., p. 233))
  • When asked what he would have done differently in his time on Star Trek, Ronald D. Moore stated that he would not have written "Aquiel". (AOL chat, 1997)
  • Moore did, however, enjoy the Klingon subplot. "I thought it was a nice little runner. I didn't want to make that any biggeer than it was. But in the final product, it was one of the more intriguing things […] it was just a cool little C story." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 269)
  • Brannon Braga had mixed feelings. He recalled, "I thought it was going to be terrible, but when I sat down and watched it I kind of liked the mystery. I rather enjoyed that the dog did it. Ultimately, I didn't think the romance part worked but I liked the feel of the episode, which had a rather tragic, mysterious feel to it." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages, p. 269)

Video and DVD releases

Links and references

Starring

Also starring

Guest stars

Co-stars

Uncredited co-stars

Stand-ins

References

23rd century; 2362; 2368; 47; accusation; alpha shift; Aquiel's parents; Arbiter of Succession; audio monitoring system; bark; Batarael; beta shift; canar; cellular level; coalescent organism; Cold Moon Over Blackwater; communication relay station; cycle; deck plate; Deriben V; diagnostic cycle; disruptors; DNA; duty engineer; duty roster; evidence; Fatal Revenge, The; Federation; Federation-Klingon border; formal hearing; generation; gothic fiction; governor; Gowron; Haliian; Haliian language; Horath; hour; iced coffee; impulse propulsion officer; irritable; Klingons; Klingon Empire; Klingonese; Klingon patrol ship; Klingon space; level 2 diagnostic; level 2 specialist; level 3 diagnostic; lie; Maura (character); Maura (imposter); memory module; message delay buffer; micro-vaporize; Milky Way Galaxy; Muskan seed punch; network relay tech; nucleotide sequences; nightstand; nowadays; oumriel; Pendleton; Personal log, Aquiel Uhnari; Personal log, Keith Rocha; petaQ; phase inducer; phaser discharge; pooch; phaser, type 2; Qu'Vat, IKS; Relay Station 47; Relay Station 194; remote sector; Sector 2520; sense of humor; service duct; Shianna; shuttlecraft; Starbase 12; Starbase 212; Starfleet; Starfleet Command; subspace relay station; suspect; transporter systems officer; Triona outpost; Triona system; Triona system sector; Type 6 shuttlecraft; Uhnari's former commanding officer; Verne; Vor'cha-class; waiting list; warp propulsion officer; wig

Other references

External links


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"Ship In A Bottle"
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 6
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"Face Of The Enemy"