March 25th, 1991, "Identity Crisis"
No fiver
Prelude: I hate that they crowbarred in the on-site cameraman. This isn't the kind of mission that would justify such. I even mentioned this in a recently launched trope "
Convenient Photograph." This script needed a few more revisions. In particular shelling out a bit more for the planet set and taking ten seconds to come up with a plot beyond "lost outpost" to make the cameraman a good idea.
The Episode
(USS Victory NCC9754 away team sensor log stardate 40164.7 17.29.46 at the bottom of the screen)
Okay, this is just weird. Why would a stardate need a time added? A single day uses 2.74 units. Adding a decimal point or two could allow for the precision needed for a given time to be built in.
Incidentally, 40164.7 converts to about 3 AM on March 2nd, 2363. If you want it to be almost 5:30 PM you want 40165.05 or so.
BREVELLE [OC]: Tarchannen Three Investigation. Stardate 40164.7. Ensign Anthony Brevelle recording. Lieutenant Susanna Leijten in command.
But you're not going to mention Hickman or Mendez that are also on the Away Team. Where Geordi is during this away mission is beyond me.
PICARD: The original Tarchannen disappearances were never solved, were they?
SUSANNA: No, we never learned what happened or why. Forty nine people gone.
And you stopped investigating...why?
SUSANNA: What about you?
LAFORGE: I enjoy the bachelor's life too much.
SUSANNA: That doesn't sound like my little brother who always wanted advice on women.
Yeah, Geordi has made it pretty clear that he wants someone. It makes me wish that he had started dating Gomez...
DATA: The shuttle's acceleration is increasing.
The derivative of acceleration is called "jerk". And that's your pointless piece of trivia for the day. The amazing thing that I learned today is that the derivatives of jerk are called snap, crackle, and pop in that order.
DATA: He will reach an atmospheric interface at an altitude of two hundred and ten kilometres.
Assuming near-Earth conditions 210 km is within the thermosphere. Thermosphere/mesosphere is 80 km, thermosphere/exosphere is 700 km. I assume that the latter interface is meant. They might mean the thermopause. Above the thermopause there's mostly hydrogen and helium, below it it's a lot more active.
RIKER: If he stays at that speed, he'll self-destruct.
I don't think an explosion from external forces counts as a "self-destruct."
CRUSHER: You're worried about Geordi, aren't you?
DATA: I am an android. It is not possible
CRUSHER: for you to feel anxiety.
DATA: Starfleet personnel have vanished. Others may be at risk. We must do the best we can to find out why. However, I am strongly motivated to solve this mystery.
Nice moment and SF Debris would argue that just because Data doesn't have human emotions that doesn't mean that he can't have android equivalents.
CRUSHER: Her blood pressure's still falling. Apply the T-cell stimulator.
For once the technobabble makes sense. T-cells are a form of white blood cell that focus on destroying virus-infected cells.
LAFORGE: Any subspace projections, z-particle emissions, interferometric frequencies?
I won't touch subspace projections. Z particles carry the weak nuclear force. Interferometry involves the wave forms of particles. If phasing is involved this is actually reasonable technobabble.
LAFORGE: All right, let's say that my friend and I here are about the same size, say one point seven metres.
1.7 meters is 5 foot 7 inches. This is actually Burton's height, which surprised me. I would've expected a bit of inflation.
(Worf, Riker and two security guards enter)
WORF: You search the structure. I will take the perimeter.
As SF Debris said, why didn't they turn the holodeck off? Then Geordi wouldn't have anywhere to hide.
CRUSHER: He's going to need a sedative. Give me ten cc's of kayolane.
Only mention of kayolane. Why they didn't use one of the established Trek sedatives? Anesthezine already exists!
Memory Alpha
* The past mission was in 2362, but the stardate is 40XXX, which implies 2363. Oops.
Nitpicker's Guide
* Data can move his hands a lot faster than a human can, so why did he modify the beacon so slowly?
* Susanna says that the aliens can't see ultraviolet, yet the aliens respond to Data's beacon. Oops.
* Even when the holodeck is frozen, the background noises are still on.
* If Geordi is invisible to sensors, how did the transporter lock onto him?