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Next Generation Episode #18

Written by Robert Sabaroff. Story by Karl Guers, Ralph Sanchez and Robert Sabaroff. Directed by Corey Allen.

Stardate: 41463.9 First aired: 22 February 1988

The Enterprise arrives at Velara III, a planet being made Earth-like by Federation terraforming engineers. Luisa Kim, the project leader, greets the Away Team shortly before a laser beam malfunction kills her colleague Malencon. Geordi and Data begin a full investigation and discover native life - tiny crystals that can combine to become sentient - which they christen 'the microbrain'. One of the scientists, Mandl, can't accept that it counts as life, but once on board the Enterprise samples of the microbrain quickly grow and take over the ship's systems, initiating contact with the crew. They tell Picard that the engineers have been draining vital salt water and that it declares war on humanity. Picard regains control by shutting down the ship's power, returns the microbrain to Velara III, then places the planet in quarantine to protect its ecosystem.

Guest Cast

Carolyne Barry as "Engineer", Walter Gotell as "Kurt Mandl", Elizabeth Lindsey as "Luisa Kim", Gerard Prendergast as "Bjorn Benson", Mario Roccuzzo as "Arthur Malencon".

Quotes

"Ugly bags of mostly water." - The microbrain's description of humans

Trivia

• Walter Gotell played M's KGB counterpart in all the James Bond films between The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and The Living Daylights (1987).

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