A Matter Of Honor (episode)

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This article is written
from the Real World
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"A Matter Of Honor"
TNG, Episode 2x08
Production number: 40272-134
First aired: 6 February 1989
← 33rd of 176 produced in TNG →
← 33rd of 176 released in TNG →
  {{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 176 released in TNG Remastered  
← 139th of 726 released in all →
Teleplay By
Burton Armus

Story By
Wanda M. Haight, Gregory Amos, and Burton Armus

Directed By
Rob Bowman
42506.5 (2365)
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Riker serves as an exchange officer on a Klingon warship.

Contents

[edit] Summary

The USS Enterprise-D is passing Starbase 179, where some replacement crew are due to come aboard. Riker and Wesley go down to the transporter room to meet the new arrivals. Among them is a Benzite who is participating in an Officer Exchange Program. At first Wes thinks it is his friend Mordock, but he calls himself Mendon, telling Wes that they would look the same as they come from the same geostructure. He tells Riker he requested the assignment and that he feels he will be a great help to the Enterprise.

Riker goes to the phaser range, where he and Captain Picard get in some phaser practice. Picard comments that Starfleet thinks it would be a good idea for someone from the Enterprise to participate in the exchange program. He also notes that there is a Klingon vessel, the Pagh, in the area. Riker gets the idea, and volunteers to be the one to participate in the exchange because "nobody’s done it before". He talks to Worf about the assignment, asking him if it is true that one of the duties of the first officer is to assassinate his captain when he becomes weak or unfit. Worf confirms this, saying the system has worked successfully for centuries.

On the bridge, Mendon walks around commenting on what the crew are doing and suggesting he has a more efficient way. In Ten Forward, Riker is testing out Klingon food such as pipius claw, heart of targ and gagh, watched by Pulaski. Picard arrives to wish him well, but isn't tempted by the Klingon food, even though Riker seems to enjoy it. On his way to the transporter room, Worf gives Riker an emergency transponder, just in case. The Pagh arrives, commanded by Captain Kargan. As arrangements are made to transport Riker, Mendon notices something in a scan of the Pagh’s hull. It is some form of subatomic life unknown to the computer.

As Riker beams over, O'Brien wishes him good luck. The Pagh leaves and as Picard heads for the observation lounge, Mendon tries to tell him about his procedural changes, but Picard brushes him off, telling him to report to Worf. Riker is brought to see Kargan on the bridge of the Pagh. He asks Riker if he can trust him in the same way he trusts the rest of his crew. He replies that he will serve the ship and obey his orders. Klag, the second officer says that he doesn’t believe Riker and that he challenges his authority. Riker beats up Klag in a fight, after which he accepts Riker's position. On the Enterprise, Worf reports an unknown substance on the hull. It is a subatomic bacteria that doubles in size every fifteen minutes and feeds on the materials in the skin. Mendon says he noted it before on the Pagh, and Picard admonishes him that he should have reported it. Mendon is surprised, saying the Benzite way would be to wait until he has a full analysis. Picard tells him he should have followed Starfleet protocol and to continue with the analysis.

On the Pagh, Riker is impressed with the abilities of the Klingons. He is in the mess, eating. One of the female Klingons eyes him up, while he eats bregit lung and rokeg blood pie. Klag offers him some gagh, which is still alive. This puts Riker off, and Klag teases him, saying that perhaps he would prefer to be breast-fed. They joke for a while, before Riker says that the Klingons were not as he expected, having a sense of humor, for example. The Klingons say the same thing about him. One of them says they are alike – he also has a father and mother. His mother is still alive, but his father was killed gloriously in battle at Tranome Sar. Riker asks about Klag’s parents, and he tells him ashamedly that his father was captured by the Romulans and not allowed to die with honor. However he escaped and will die an old man on Qo'noS, weakened, useless and without honor. He tells Riker he doesn’t talk to him anymore, but Riker urges him to try, as nothing is impossible.

On the Enterprise, Data says that the organisms feed on the compounds in the hull, and that the Pagh is more susceptible than they are. Picard orders an intercept course with the Pagh. Kargan calls Riker to the Pagh’s bridge, showing him a hole in the hull. He tells him it’s due to a space organism. They have no way to repair it, and in eight hours too much of the hull will have been lost. He questions Riker why the Enterprise conducted an intensive scan of the area for two minutes, but Riker doesn’t know why. Kargon orders the ship cloaked and an intercept course set to destroy the Enterprise. Meanwhile, Wes talks to Mendon, who feels he made an error and failed in his task. Wes cheers him up, saying that he discovered the organism and that it wasn’t his fault. The hole in the Pagh has become bigger and Kargan sends Riker to engineering to check on the situation. Klag tells him he thinks that Riker does not know anything about a plot. He may be a spy, but he’s no coward.

When Riker returns, the tactical officer reports that the Enterprise is on an intercept course. This convinces Kargan that the Enterprise is hostile, and he orders a full battle alert and the photon torpedoes armed. The Enterprise searches for the Pagh, Data concluding that it is either cloaked or destroyed. Riker tries to convince Kargon that the Enterprise is trying to help them. He won’t listen, and tells Riker that since he gave his word he should tell him the surest way to attack the Enterprise. Riker refuses point blank, saying he has also sworn an oath to Starfleet, which he won’t break. Kargon pressures him, and Riker says he will obey his orders, but won’t break the oath. Kargan then admits that if he had told him the Enterprise’s secrets he would have killed him where he stood.

Mendon has isolated the organisms, and concluded they can be removed using a tunneling neutrino beam. Picard orders this information be added to the hail being broadcast. When the Pagh notes the new message, Kargan still doesn’t believe the Enterprise. Due to the lack of debris, Data says the Klingon ship must be cloaked, so Picard raises the shields. Kargan orders the torpedoes readied, and Riker tells him to wait until the distance to the Enterprise is 40,000 kilometers. Klag comments that Riker is honoring his promise. Riker says he still questions Kargan’s judgement. Then he takes out the emergency transponder and switches it on. He gives it to Kargan when he asks to see it.

Worf detects the signal, and Picard orders O’Brien to lock on to the signal and beam Riker out as soon as possible. He decides to wait until they are within 40,000 kilometers. Kargan is beamed off before the order to fire can be given. He materializes on the bridge, and pulls out his disruptor, whereupon Worf stuns him with his phaser. On the Pagh, Riker tells a bemused Klag that he has relieved Kargan of his command. Now he is the captain. He orders the ship to be decloaked, and hails the Enterprise. He demands that Picard surrender, and Picard agrees with a smile. Picard orders a very angry Kargan beamed back to the Pagh, and repairs started on its hull. When Kargan returns, he tells Riker he is back in command. Riker growls at him, so Kargan sends him flying with a punch. He tells Klag to get him off his ship. As Klag helps him up, he concedes that Riker may know more about Klingons than he thought. As the Enterprise finishes repairing the hole in the Pagh, Riker returns. Picard congratulates him, and tells him to go to sickbay. As Worf escorts him there he welcomes Riker home.

[edit] Log Entries

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"Good luck, Commander."
"Thanks, O'Brien."
"You're not afraid, are you?"
"No, I'm not."
"I would be."

- O'Brien and Riker


"If Klingon food is too strong for you, perhaps we can get one of the females to breast-feed you."

- Klag


"I will not see him! [his disgraced father]"
"He's your father!"
"A Klingon is his work, not his family; that is the way of things!"
"He's your father!"
"Klingons do not express... ...feeling the way you do!"
"Perhaps you should."
"We would not know how!"
"Yesterday, I did not know how... ...to eat gagh!"

- Klag and Riker, as the latter takes a bite of live gagh


"Enterprise, this is Captain William Riker of the Klingon vessel Pagh. I order you to lower your shields and surrender."

- Riker, to Picard, after taking command of the Klingon ship

[edit] Background Information

[edit] Awards

  • This episode was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Makeup for a Series.

[edit] Video and DVD releases

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Guest Stars

[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars

[edit] References

Benzar; Benzite; bregit lung; emergency transponder; gagh; Klingons; Klingon Bird-of-Prey; Lewis; neutrino beam; Officer Exchange Program; Pagh, IKS; phaser range; Pheben system; pipius claw; quantum interaction tomography; rokeg blood pie; Romulans; Starbase 179; Starfleet Command; subatomic bacteria; targ; targ, heart of; tritanium; Tranome Sar


Previous episode:
"Unnatural Selection" 		Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 2 		Next episode:
"The Measure Of A Man"
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