The Chase (episode)

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"The Chase"
TNG, Episode 6x20 Production number: 40276-246 First aired: 26 April 1993
←	145th of 176 produced in TNG	→
←	145th of 176 released in TNG	→
	{{{nNthReleasedInSeries_Remastered}}}th of 176 released in TNG Remastered
←	265th of 726 released in all	→
Teleplay By Joe Menosky Story By Ronald D. Moore & Joe Menosky Directed By Jonathan Frakes
46731.5 (2369)
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Picard tries to finish his old archaeology teacher's monumental last mission: solving a puzzle that leads Humans, Romulans, Klingons and Cardassians to the secret of life in this galaxy, revealing the origin of humanoid life;

see ancient humanoids.

Contents 1 Summary 2 Memorable Quotes 3 Background Information 3.1 Video and DVD releases 4 Links and References 4.1 Guest Stars 4.2 Special Appearance By 4.3 Co-Star 4.4 Uncredited Co-Stars 4.5 References

[edit] Summary

Captain Picard receives an unexpected visit from Richard Galen, a reclusive professor of his from Starfleet Academy. Galen gives the captain a rare archaeological gift and encourages him to take a leave of absence from Starfleet to go on an expedition of vast importance to the galaxy. Picard mulls it over, but knows that he can never leave the USS Enterprise-D. He informs Galen that he cannot go with him, and receives a bitter rebuke from his former teacher, who immediately leaves on a shuttlecraft for his next destination.

Not long after, the Enterprise receives a distress call from Galen's shuttle, as it is under attack. They barely retrieve the professor and destroy his attackers. Unfortunately, Galen dies in sickbay – telling Picard with his last breath that his earlier rebuke had been too harsh – and Picard abandons the ship's current diplomatic timeline to follow the clues listed in Galen's database. After mulling over the data, stumped, they finally realize that his course had taken him through a star system with no current inhabitants, but with a planet capable of sustaining life.

When they arrive, they find the planet's atmosphere being destroyed, killing all life on the planet. They have one other clue, and proceed to yet another star system where they are confronted by two Cardassian warships, prepared to attack in order to protect the planet for only their scientific mission. Immediately, a Klingon Vor'cha-class attack cruiser decloaks, making the situation all the more tense. Picard decides to invite the commanding officers of each vessel to the Enterprise to discuss the situation. He plays his cards, relating that the Enterprise crew has determined that Galen's research leads them to believe that a computer program has been written and scattered throughout the galaxy, being stored in the genetic code of organisms on certain planets. An uneasy truce is forged between the three powers so as to share the data the three factions contain. However, chief engineer La Forge discovers that the Enterprise's defensive systems have been tampered with – rightfully anticipating deception on the part of the Cardassians, Picard and Klingon captain Nu'Daq decide to tamper with their data a bit prior to the meeting. All three factions meet on the Enterprise to view the star chart inferred by the data points. Immediately, Gul Ocett transports off of the Enterprise and begins firing on both the Klingon vessel and the Enterprise. The Enterprise makes a good show of being damaged, and then heads to the proper coordinates with Nu'Daq.

Once at the final planet, they transport to the surface to take tricorder measurements of lichen growing in an ancient seabed. Suddenly, the Romulans appear, insisting that everyone leave the premises. Covertly, the away team takes readings of the lichen, and find their tricorder reconfigured to display a holographic image of a humanoid, explaining that her civilization existed in the galaxy alone, thousands of lonely years before any of the others developed. As such, they spread their genetic material to other planets, in the hopes of creating a rich ecosystem of Humanoids who could fulfill the joys of finding and integrating with alien cultures that these first beings never had. Most parties seem disgusted at the thought of a common progenitor.

Back on board the Enterprise, Picard receives an unexpected message from the Romulan captain, who carefully chooses his words and suggests by his approach that Humans and Romulans are not so different after all. "Perhaps... one day..."

[edit] Memorable Quotes

"You're wondering who we are; why we have done this; how it has come that I stand before you - the image of a being from so long ago. Life evolved on my planet before all others in this part of the galaxy. We left our world, explored the stars and found none like ourselves. Our civilization thrived for ages, but what is the life of one race, compared to the vast stretches of cosmic time?

"We knew that one day we would be gone, and nothing of us would survive - so we left you. Our scientists seeded the primordial oceans of many worlds, where life was in its infancy. This body you see before you, which is of course shaped as yours is shaped, for you are the end result. The seed code also contains this message, which was scattered in fragments on many different worlds.

"It was our hope that you would have to come together in fellowship and companionship to hear this message, and if you can see and hear me, our hope has been fulfilled. You are a monument, not to our greatness, but to our existence. That was our wish - that you too would know life and would keep alive our memory. There is something of us in each of you, and so, something of you in each other. Remember us."

- the Ancient humanoid, explaining that the Humans, Romulans (and by extension, Vulcans), Klingons, and Cardassians possess a mutual ancestor

"If she were not dead, I would kill her!"

- Nu'Daq, expressing his disappointment about the message

"Dream not of today"

- Professor Richard Galen, to Picard

"Until we assemble it, we will never know its purpose."
"He's right. As far as we know it might just be a recipe for biscuits!"

- Picard and Gul Ocett

"It would seem that we are not completely dissimilar after all; in our hopes, or in our fears."
"Yes..."
"Well then perhaps, one day..."
"...one day..."

- Romulan Commander to Picard

[edit] Background Information

• Salome Jens went on to play the recurring role of the Female Changeling in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. John Cothran, Jr. went on to play Telok in DS9: "Crossover" and Gralik Durr in ENT: "The Shipment".
• This episode is the first to mention one of Deep Space 9's sister deep space stations, in this case Deep Space 4.
• Despite Picard's obvious delight at being given the Kurlan naiskos in this episode, he casually discards it among the wreckage of the Enterprise-D in Star Trek Generations.
• The concept of this episode was recycled in the videogame Star Trek: Encounters, with the Enterprise-D being replaced by the USS Voyager, and the competing races being melded into one - the Kazon.
• This episode recalls a joke theory, that if the value of pi is carried out far enough, there is a message from the "creator(s)" of the universe.

[edit] Video and DVD releases

• UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 73, catalogue number VHR 2731, 22 November 1993.
• As part of the TNG Season 6 DVD collection.

[edit] Links and References

[edit] Guest Stars

• Salome Jens as the ancient humanoid
• John Cothran, Jr. as Nu'Daq
• Maurice Roëves as a Romulan Captain
• Linda Thorson as Ocett

[edit] Special Appearance By

• Norman Lloyd as "Professor Galen"

[edit] Co-Star

• Majel Barrett as Computer Voice

[edit] Uncredited Co-Stars

• Tracee Lee Cocco as Jae
• Christie Haydon as a command division ensign
• Leatrim Stang as a Romulan officer
• Unknown performers as:
  • Ensign
  • Klingon Voice
  • Cardassian Guard
  • Two Romulan Officers

[edit] References

Al-Leyan transport (Al-Leyan); archeology; archaeologist; arboretum; Atalia VII; Atalia system; B'aht Qul challenge; biological database; biscuit; Caere; Cardassians; Cardassian war vessel; centurion; Deep Space 4; final exam; goose; Indri VIII; Indri system; Kurl; Kurlan; Kurlan naiskos; Kurlan system; lichen; Loren III; Loren system; Maht-H'a, IKS; M'Tell; Macchiato; Master of Tarquin Hill; medical tricorder; micropaleontology; plasma reaction; province; puzzle; Rahm-Izad; Rahm-Izad system; Roman; Ruah IV; Ruah IV proto-hominid; Ruah system; Satarran; Schliemann, Heinrich; scholar; Sothis III; Troy; type-7 shuttlecraft; Vilmor II; Vilmoran system; Volterra Nebula; Vor'cha-class; Vulcan ship; Ya'Seem; Yash-El; Yridians; Yridian destroyer

Previous episode: "Lessons"

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6

Next episode: "Frame of Mind"