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Old 01-31-2020, 05:30 AM
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January 29th, 1990, "The High Ground"

First veterans, now terrorists? They couldn't squeeze a comedic episode in between? Don't expect me to pull punches on this one, the message is too hamfisted for me to attempt fairness.

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Transcript
Memory Alpha

The Episode

Captain's log, Stardate 43510.7. The Enterprise has put in at Rutia Four to deliver medical supplies following an outbreak of violent protests. Although non-aligned, the planet has enjoyed a long trading relationship with the Federation. Now, a generation of peace has ended with terrorist attacks by Ansata separatists, who are demanding autonomy and self-determination for their homeland on the western continent. Recreational shore leave has been prohibited and all away teams have been beam down armed.

[Plaza Cafe]

(The situation isn't stopping Beverly and Worf from drinking beverages in pleasant cafes in shopping areas)

Ugh. Badly written. If these terrorist attacks are so dangerous, nobody should be down there unless they have specific business. Beam back up to get beverages. I think visiting a cafe counts as "recreational shore leave." The worst part is that this isn't necessary. They didn't take a minute to explore Crusher and Worf's characters here, so why does this have to be in a cafe and not just outside a government facility?

CRUSHER: Lieutenant Worf, I need some bandages, disinfectant, something with alcohol in it.

Why isn't Beverly carrying a medkit? What's achieved by her not having one?

PICARD [OC]: Doctor, Commander Data has informed me of your situation.
CRUSHER: I already know what you're going to say.
PICARD [OC]: Doctor, will you at least allow me to
CRUSHER: The longer we argue, the longer

[Bridge]

CRUSHER [OC]: It's going to take me to save
PICARD: Doctor, you are endangering yourself and the away team.

In a situation like this, Picard should pull rank and order her to beam up. Furthermore, something like this should've been in the mission briefing: this isn't our fight, be prepared to leave at once without complaint. Furthermore, Picard mentions earlier that these guys are nonaligned. The Enterprise is only here to deliver medical supplies. Is there a reason they couldn't just be beamed down without putting any Starfleet officers at risk?

DATA: A transporter would leave residual ionization in the air. Our tricorder readings found no trace after the incident.
RIKER: People don't just appear and disappear. There must be some way to track her.

It's Season Three, I would hope the no-TOS references rule isn't in effect anymore, but even if it was, there are methods of teleportation in TNG that don't follow basic transporter rules. Q and the Farpoint aliens (alternatively known as "Farpoint cnidarians", "star-jellies" and "skymounts" depending on who you ask) come to mind immediately.

WORF: Sir, I believe she was the intended target of the abduction.
RIKER: Why would they want to take a Federation hostage? Their fight doesn't involve us.
WORF: It does now.

Here's the thing: the planet is nonaligned, and the Federation is apparently obligated to give humanitarian to anyone who asks unless it's someone they're currently at war with (and something even if they are). The terrorists could ask for help just like the government.

PICARD: In fact, it's more than likely that they will take good care of her, if they want to use her as a bargaining chip.
WESLEY: Bargaining chip?
TROI: The innocent often become the pawns in conflicts of this type, Wes.

Is Wes supposed to be an audience surrogate character or a prodigy, because you can't have it both ways. Troi's reply is just preachy and not necessary.

TROI: He needs your strength right now.
PICARD: History has shown us that strength may be useless when faced with terrorism.

What a lovely sentiment, and I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible. If this message must be conveyed, save it for the ending Captain's Log, don't sound incompetent to your crew or scare Wes!

ALEXANA: I doubt they have one. They don't usually take hostages. These are not people we're dealing with here. They're animals. Fanatics who kill without remorse or conscience. Who think nothing of murdering innocent people.

Okay, you are officially nonsympathetic. A key Star Trek moral is that cultures are not monolithic and painting everyone with the same brush is wrong and will eventually bite you in the butt. Furthermore, this sort of talk is really a means by the speaker to justify killing the people they accuse without remorse. Hypocrite.

ALEXANA: Perhaps if we found ourselves in possession of some of that advanced Federation weaponry of yours, it would shift the balance of power back to our favour.
PICARD: Of course you know that is out of the question.
ALEXANA: Yes, of course.

This sort of thing should've been established ages ago. "Until you are a Federation member world, you don't get Federation assistance beyond humanitarian aid. Period. So don't ask."

FINN: Your ship carries medical supplies for them, for the other side. Why does the Federation ally itself with the Rutians?
CRUSHER: We don't. All we did was bring
FINN: Medical supplies.
CRUSHER: People were hurt.
FINN: I know. I hurt them.

Great job, Finn. You are officially nonsympathetic. At least PRETEND you're not a cold-blooded killer if you want her help!

CRUSHER: When I inform the Captain how serious the situation is, I'm sure he'll agree. I've told you, Finn, the Federation is not allied with Rutians. We're here on an errand of mercy.
FINN: And since the Federation does not wish to take sides, they will send the supplies that you need.
CRUSHER: Absolutely.

Exactly.

ALEXANA: The event that really opened my eyes took place only a few days after my arrival. A terrorist bomb destroyed a shuttlebus. Sixty schoolchildren. There were no survivors. The Ansata claimed that it was a mistake, that their intended target was a police transport. As if that made everything all right.

First, a police transport isn't a military transport. It's still attacking civilians. If the Ansata aren't attacking the military, they're criminals at best and terrorists at worst. They don't have "the high ground." Neither doesn't the government, but we've already covered that.

CRUSHER: They're dying. I'm seeing a complicated set of conditions. Their DNA is warped somehow, and it's distorting their entire cellular chemistry.
FINN: You can't do anything?
CRUSHER: I can make them more comfortable. That's all. The damage is too extensive.

Not even the facilities on the Enterprise can help? Whether she's honest or tricking them, the subject should be brought up.

FINN: It's the inverter. It's given our cause a new life, but it asks for our lives in return.
CRUSHER: What does it do?
FINN: We transport through a dimensional shift that the Rutian sensors can't trace.
CRUSHER: Dimensional shifting? You can't do that with humanoid tissue.
FINN: There are risks, the designers told us, But it works.

So these guys willingly kill themselves slowly just to be terrorists? We can add insanity to stupidity.
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