Sub Rosa (episode)

From Memory Alpha, the free Star Trek reference

(Redirected from Sub Rosa)

Real World article
(written from a Production point of view)

"Sub Rosa"
TNG, Episode 7x14 Production number: 40277-266 First aired: 31 January 1994
←	165th of 176 produced in TNG	→
←	165th of 176 released in TNG	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 176 released in TNG Remastered
←	305th of 727 released in all	→

Teleplay By Brannon Braga Story By Jeri Taylor (Based on material by Jeanna F. Gallo) Directed By Jonathan Frakes
Unknown (2370)
	Arc: {{{wsArc0Desc}}} ({{{nArc0PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc0PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc1Desc}}} ({{{nArc1PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc1PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc2Desc}}} ({{{nArc2PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc2PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc3Desc}}} ({{{nArc3PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc3PartCount}}})
	Arc: {{{wsArc4Desc}}} ({{{nArc4PartNumber}}} of {{{nArc4PartCount}}})

Beverly attends her grandmother's funeral, but the mysterious entity that inhabited her grandmother is now focusing on her.

[edit] Summary

[edit] Teaser

Doctor Beverly Crusher reads a eulogy before her late grandmother's coffin on Caldos II, with Counselor Deanna Troi and Captain Jean-Luc Picard at her side. Describing her grandmother, Felisa Howard; as a healer, and one who offers more than just a healthy body, she will miss her advice, healing, and most of all; her inspiration. Governor Maturin reads lines of Genesis 3:19 as her coffin slowly descends beneath the ground. As the colonists circle the grave and the gravediggers begin to bury her, a camellia is thrown to the coffin. Beverly looks over and sees a mysterious man walking with the other colonists, stops and gives her one glance.

[edit] Act One

Deanna compliments Beverly on the eulogy, where the doctor asks about the mysterious man she saw throw the camellia on the coffin, and describes him as mid 30s with short hair. Deanna says she didn't see anyone that fits her description She says the camellia was her favourite flower, which Troi asks he might be a friend or patient, but then Beverly mentions that he gave her a remarkable look. Realizing the need to get her grandmother's affairs in order, she heads to her house and Deanna comes along with her.

Maturin asks Picard how long he plans on staying, which the captain replies it would only be a few hours, and enquires why. Maturin explains to Picard that Caldos II was one of the first terraforming projects in the Federation, and the weather control infusion systems are a century old and he wouldn't mind having a starship engineer take a look at them, perhaps upgrade them; in exchange for a tour of the colony and some home-cooked meals. While the USS Enterprise isn't due to Starbase 621 until the next morning, Picard graciously accepts the governor's offer, and put off the port call and find the time. The tour is an intriguing offer to Picard as he remarks the colony impressive accomplishment, and describes the setting as being on Earth's Scottish Highlands. The governor says that's exactly what the colonists wanted. Every piece of corner stone was brought from cities in Scotland like Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen. The founder had no intention to imitate Scotland, they wanted to recreate it. When asked what brought the governor to the colony, Maturin replies the culture and the heritage of the Scottish people. He visited Scotland's Glamis Castle when he was a boy and felt he was home when he gazed over the highlands.

At Beverly's grandmother's house, Deanna glances at a picture of her and her grandmother and remarks how incredible Felicia's green eyes were. It was a Howard tradition where every women in her family had green eyes, except her mother and herself, explains Beverly. She can remember her mother well, but remembers Nana more than her mother, who raised her after her mother died. Deanna pictures the candle and says how beautiful it is. The candle is a family heirloom and has been in the Howard clan for generations and supposed to symbolize the enduring Howard spirit. Deanna decides to return to the Enterprise and allow Beverly to have some time alone, which she appreciates. Wrapping herself in a blanket and reading her grandmother's journal, she goes upstairs.

Another man enters her house unannounced and blows out the candle. The sound of his breath causes Beverly to race down and demands he leaves the house. The man identifies himself to her as Ned Quint, Felicia's caregiver. This surprises the doctor as her grandmother made no mention about Ned, but he replies that there's a lot of things she never talked about and demands she gives up the heirloom. When asked why, he replies the candle has been a curse to her family for generations. Dismissing his claims as rubbish, Beverly forcefully asks Ned to leave. Before leaving, Ned warns her that he will not be responsible for what happens as long as she continues to be stubborn, as with all other Howard women were.

Back on the Enterprise, Lieutenant Commander Data preforms basic maintenance on the colony's primary systems. Maturin asks about the seismic stabilizers due to the fact they've been having tremors for the past couple of months. He then humors the android by saying how it's like to enjoy afternoon tea while the earth is shaking. The governor is alerted about a power fluctuation by Geordi La Forge in one of the weather control substations that controls atmospheric humidity. A discovery that surprises Mautrin and says his substations were working for the past 22 years and asks if it's going to be a problem. Data checks the weather patterns and discovers the formation of a storm system in the northern coastal area. A baffled Maturin says they don't get rain in the middle of summer, and Geordi quickly gets to work to correct the problem, and promises Maturin that they'll keep him dry. A promise the governor hopes he would keep as a Caber Toss is scheduled the next day and the last thing he wants to see is that event spoiled by an unexpected downpour.

Picard and Beverly discuss the entries in her grandmother's journal and was surprised to learn she had a lover, in the mid 30s to be exact. A finding that surprises the captain. The man is identified as Ronin, 34; whom Felisa met shortly after Beverly's great-grandmother passed away. The fact supported that she believes it was Ronin who threw the camellia onto her grave, but there was no mention of him in any of the letters she sent to her. Picard explains to Beverly they'll be staying for a while longer, which gives her an opportunity to straighten out her grandmothers affairs. As she enters her quarters, Picard wonders why a man like Ronin would be dating Beverly's grandmother at his current age.

The heirloom begins to flicker in Beverly's quarters as she is sleeping soundly. The covers over her begin to slide away, as well as her nightgown begins to slide away exposing her shoulder, and Beverly reacts as if someone was kissing her on the neck. An eerie voice calls her name which causes her to rise from her bed in fear as she begins to shiver as to what just went on...

[edit] Act Two

Discussing the events the night before with Deanna, Beverly explains to her she did not dream, but felt a presence with her. The experience she felt, especially when she was called out by her name, felt like she knew the person, or vice versa. He knew how she liked to be touch, which surprises the councillor; and called it the most physical dream she ever had. She said the sensations were real, and extremely arousing, which caused Deanna to be envious of her. Beverly admitted she fell asleep after reading an erotic chapter in her grandmother's journal, going as far as detailing her experience with Ronin. She becomes curious if she would have another dream tonight, which Deanna suggests she reads two chapters.

Back on the colony, and out of uniform; Beverly enters the cemetery with flowers for her grave. She sees Ned putting the final touches of the grave and Ned suggests he leaves so she can spend time alone. Beverly apologizes that they didn't start off well, and understands how much he meant to her grandmother. Ned admits that she would not find another like Felisa, and says that she has Felisia's fire. She offers Ned an olive branch and welcomes him to stay at the house to take care of it when she's away, but Ned swore he would never enter that house again, and advices her to do the same. He explains the house is haunted, and warns her not to light the candle or she'll bring out the ghost. He's out now he says, angry about being driven out and blames the ghost on causing the storm that is about to occur. Beverly dismisses Ned's warning and explains the Enterprise is repairing one of the weather control substations that is malfunctioning. Ned asks her "Who do you think is causing the malfunction?" and warns her again not to light the candle or go into the house, or he'll be burying another Howard in the cemetery. As he turns to leave, the storm intensifies as thunder and green lightning begin to crackle. Beverly turns around and sees Felisa's grave covered in flowers. The storm continues to intensify as Beverly retreats to her residence.

Lieutenant Worf detects large pockets of atmospheric turbulence and pockets of electrical activity. Picard orders this on the main viewer, and sees in Commander Riker's own words "one hell of a thunderstorm" that is growing in intensity. Data explains to the captain that what began as a power fluctuation, has now spread throughout the control grid, and has caused an unusual concentration of cumuli-nimbus activity around the colony. Geordi recommends they set up a power transfer between the Enterprise and the weather control substations to give them enough power to stabilize the storm.

A gift from Ronin

Beverly returns to the house soaked, and is surprised to find the foyer of the house full of flowers.

[edit] Act Three

The door slams shut behind her as the fear level in Beverly rises. Asking if it was Ned in the house or someone else, she calls out for that person, and no one replies. Walking around the house, she calls out that she knows someone is in the house and suggests the person comes out. The mirror begins to tap against the wall, which she picks up and checks behind it to find nothing out of the ordinary.

Ronin's reflection through the mirror

As she places it back, she finds a man in the reflection beside her, which frightens her, and causing her to drop the mirror. She turns around and finds no one there, and warns whoever is in the house to show himself or she will contact the Enterprise and will have ten security guards down to the house in 30 seconds. The man calls her name and says he has come back for her and says that he was with her last night. Beverly dismisses it as a dream and reaches for her combadge to call the Enterprise. Suddenly she becomes pain stricken and dizzy, and drops her combadge to the floor. The mysterious visitor proclaims his love to her, just as he loved Felisa before. Beverly puts the pieces together and identifies the visitor as Ronin. She runs to the stairs and asks who he is. Ronin identifies himself as a spirit, who lived in Glasgow in 1647. There he found a home with Jessel Howard, describing her as a pretty lass with red hair, and eyes like diamonds. She stayed with her daughter after Jessel died, and her daughter after her, and down on down the family clan through generations.

Wracked in fear and terror, she wanted to know how he came to Caldos, 200 light years away from Earth. Ronin tells her when her family moved into the galaxy, he moved with them. Beverly doesn't believe him, but Ronin says he believes the Howard women are the most beautiful he has ever known. Beverly then feels a strange sensation as Ronin says they are becoming one. Something she doesn't understand, but nevertheless, wants him to stop.

Deanna stops by her quarters on the Enterprise and asks if she was going to mok'bara class tonight, but she plans to skip it, due to exhaustion. Deanna gets curious and asks if she had another dream, but the doctor says no, and everything is alright. Deanna gets suspicious and asks if she was seeing someone, a suspicion proved correct when Beverly tries to dismiss it. Beverly simply says she met someone, but Deanna's telepathic abilities says otherwise. Beverly admits defeat and reveals that she saw Ronin, her grandmother's lover. This man she says is unlike any man she met before, and is so passionate about her. It's a strange relationship says Deanna, but nonetheless is very happy for her. Despite this, Deanna offers her some advice: Ronin and Beverly both suffered a tremendous loss, and that shared trageties can often create the illusion of closeness, and romance. Beverly appreciates her advice but dismisses it, simply saying she's interested, but not in love; with Ronin.

A dense fog rolls into the bridge

In the turbolift Maturin explains to Picard that he moved to the colony because it was a recreation of Scotland, but admits it's getting a little too real, and sneezes. When they step foot on the bridge the deck is flooded with a dense fog. The cause is a malfunction in the ship's environmental controls, which is traced to the power transfer, which is creating a feedback from one of the weather control sub stations. Data is unable to terminate the connection as a feedback loop is preventing it from being shut off. He would have to go to the sub station itself and correct it from there. Picard agrees and decides to get his jacket in the meantime.

Geordi and Data determine that the weather control grid is experiencing a power failure. A problem that is impossible according to Geordi, but is interrupted by Ned Quint who is dismantling the primary power conduit. Data asks him to stop, but Ned will not. Data forces him to get up, but Ned warns both Starfleet officers to keep away from him and warns them the ghost is trying to kill them all. A shock of energy strikes Ned from the conduit sending him tumbling down near the feet of Data and Geordi. They both rush to check on him, and Data checks his pulse. He reads no pulsation and grimly tells Geordi "He's dead..."

[edit] Act Four

Geordi summarizes that he was trying to shut down the entire weather control system, and a plasma discharge from the primary plasma conduit is what killed Ned. Maturin knew him and doesn't believe he would do something like this. Because of the tampering, another day would have to be added to the repairs, and Data lets the governor know the weather patterns will continue.

Beverly finds something and brings it to the attention of Data. It was not a plasma discharge that killed him, but an anomalous energy residual, which Data links to the malfunctions to the sub stations, and suggests they scan the colony for those same readings. Beverly asks Maturin to take Ned's body back to the ship for further tests, which he accepts; but she won't run the tests herself, quoting other matters she needs to attend to.

Back at the house, Be

[edit] Act Five

This episode or film summary is incomplete

This episode summary has been identified as lacking essential detail, and as such needs attention. Feel free to edit this page to assist with this expansion.

Please obey copyright policy; do not copy material from other sources without permission.

[edit] Background Information

The episode was heavily based on Anne Rice's novel "The Witching Hour".
The episode features several religious allusions. At Howard's burial service, the mourners can clearly be heard uttering 'Amen', as well as blessing themselves and using the term 'ashes to ashes' in the Christian tradition.
Duncan Regehr later went on to play the recurring role of Shakaar Edon in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Michael Keenan also appeared on DS9 as Patrick in "Statistical Probabilities" and "Chrysalis".
The title is Latin for "under the rose," an expression meaning "secretly," as roses were displayed at Roman gatherings as a signal that what was said there was to be kept confidential.
This episode is one of seven Star Trek episodes with Latin names. The others are "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges", "Dramatis Personae", "Ex Post Facto", "Non Sequitur", "Terra Nova" and "Vox Sola".
As in-jokes, the gravestones in the graveyard bore the names of various movie characters, including McFly (Back to the Future) and Vader (Star Wars). (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
The caretaker Ned Quint and Jessel Howard are a homage by writer Brannon Braga to valet Peter Quint and the governess Miss Jessel in The Innocents, another story about ghostly lovers (based on Henry James' The Turn of the Screw). (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
Literally translated from Japanese, rōnin means "drifting person". Generally, however, it is used to refer to a Samurai warrior who lacked a master. Braga made up the name before learning the meaning in Japanese. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)

[edit] Video and DVD releases

UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 83, 11 July 1994.
As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek: The Next Generation - 10th Anniversary Collector's Edition under the "Crusher" section, 29 September 1997.
As part of the TNG Season 7 DVD collection.

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Main Cast

[edit] Guest Stars

Previous episode:
"Homeward"

Star Trek: The Next Generation
Season 7

Next episode:
"Lower Decks"