Home Soil (episode)

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference.

"Home Soil"
TNG, Episode 1x18 Production number: 40271-117 First aired: 22 February 1988
←	16th of 176 produced in TNG	→
←	17th of 176 released in TNG	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 176 released in TNG Remastered
←	122nd of 726 released in all	→
Teleplay By Robert Sabaroff Story By Karl Guers, Ralph Sanchez, and Robert Sabaroff Directed By Corey Allen
41463.9 (2364)
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A new microscopic lifeform threatens to kill the crew working to terraform its planet.

Contents 1 Summary 1.1 Log Entries 2 Memorable Quotes 3 Background Information 3.1 Video and DVD releases 4 Links and References 4.1 Guest Stars 4.2 Co-Stars 4.3 Uncredited Co-Stars 4.4 References

[edit] Summary

When a small group of scientists began to terraform the planet Velara III, lead by Kurt Mandl, they noticed that areas of the sand looked like "the light shining off newly fallen snow." These shining patterns soon became less random, however, and formed geometric shapes and moved. It was later realized that this was a form of communication; however, as the Federation had declared the planet lifeless, the terraformists weren't looking for life, and dismissed it.

This changed in 2364, however, when Arthur Malencon was killed by what appeared to be sabotage to a laser drill's programming. Upon investigation by an away team from the USS Enterprise-D, Data discovered a single-celled compound with glowing properties. Despite being inorganic, it is defined as alive when it reproduces on the Enterprise. Further, it appears intelligent when it connects to the Enterprise's computer and attempts to communicate via the universal translator.

The lifeform continued to reproduce and gain more control of the computer, securing environmental controls, the deflector shield, and directed transporter energy towards it. It is theorized by Data that the lifeform is akin to a computer, becoming more sophisticated as it reproduces further. It expends an enormous amount of energy during reproduction, with little sign of energy loss from the ship's systems, leading Data and Geordi La Forge to realize the lifeform must use light energy to keep itself alive. This is corroborated further when it is discovered that the lifeforms on the planet live in an area it refers to as 'wet sand' – a soil layer near the water table, but where light still shines through. The water contains a saline solution, and each lifeform is connected to every other through this, forming a sophisticated collective consciousness which was threatened when the water table was being siphoned and cleansed, leading to them declaring 'war' on the 'bags of mostly water' – Humans.

This war ended shortly afterwards when Captain Picard darkened the lights in the medical lab where the sample of the lifeform was being studied and had taken control of various systems. Picard convinced the microbrain that they were unaware of life on Velara III, and will leave the planet in peace if they call off the war. The microbrain agrees, believing Picard's sincerity yet deciding not to trust Humans for a period of three centuries, agreeing to see them again then. To that end, Picard orders a quarantine around the planet.

[edit] Log Entries

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), 2364
• First officer's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"Ugly giant bags of mostly water"

- The crystal lifeform, describing Humans

"...But is it alive?"
"Probability: positive."
"I wasn't asking you."

- Worf and the computer

[edit] Background Information

• Like "The Naked Now", this episode came under criticism from long-standing Trek fans for its uncanny similarity to the plot of a classic TOS episode, "The Devil in the Dark".
  ^{(citation needed • edit)}
• The line "bags of mostly water" is spoken in the song "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors (about 02:40 into the song).
• An Engineering Ensign (Carolyne Barry) makes a bizarre reference to "two people trapped in the head programmer's rest room" in one of the only known references to rest rooms aboard the Enterprise in all of Star Trek. It is never disclosed if these people were rescued.
• The quote that human beings are 90% water is inaccurate. An average person is about 50-70% water, with the water content decreasing with age and obesity.

[edit] Video and DVD releases

• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 9, 4 February 1991.
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, Paramount Home Entertainment): Volume 1.6, 10 August 1998.
• As part of the TNG Season 1 DVD collection.

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Guest Stars

• Walter Gotell as Kurt Mandl
• Elizabeth Lindsey as Louisa Kim
• Gerard Prendergast as Bjorn Bensen

[edit] Co-Stars

• Mario Roccuzzo as Arthur Malencon
• Carolyne Barry as a Female Engineer

[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars

• David Eum as Nurse Wright

[edit] References

2360; 2363; 2395; 28th century; artificial intelligence; atmosphere; biosphere; braincell; cadmium selenide; carbon; centimeter; computer program; computer science; desalinization; director; Eden; gallium arsenide; germanium; hydraulics; imager; ion; laser drill; life; master subsurface pump; microbrain; microorganism; nursery; photoelectric; photosynthesis; Pleiades Cluster; programmer; quarantine field; refraction; rest room; salt; sand; science laboratory; scientific method; silicon; snow; subsurface; sulfur; sunlight; Terraform Command; terraforming; transistor; universal translator; vacuum; Velara III; Velara Base; Velara system; water

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