Code of Honor (TNG episode)

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Star Trek: TNG episode
"Code of Honor"
The fate of a world rests in Tasha's decision to fight for honor, in Code of Honor.
Episode no.	4
Prod. code	104
Airdate	October 12, 1987
Writer(s)	Katharyn Powers Michael Baron
Director	Russ Mayberry
Guest star(s)	Jessie Lawrence Ferguson, Karole Selmon, James Louis Watkins, Michael Rider
Year	2363
Stardate	41235.25
Episode chronology
Previous	"The Naked Now"
Next	"The Last Outpost"

"Code of Honor" is a first season episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It is episode #4, production #104, first broadcast October 12, 1987. It was written by Katharyn Powers and Michael Baron, and directed by Russ Mayberry.

Overview: Lt. Yar is abducted by the leader of a people who abide by a strict code of honor.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

On stardate 41235.25, the Enterprise arrives at the planet Ligon II to acquire a vaccine needed to combat an outbreak of Anchilles fever on Styris IV. The Ligonian culture is reminiscent of the native tribes of Africa, but the Federation knows little else about them, except that they follow strict customs of status and honor.

Upon arrival, the Ligonians signal the Enterprise, insisting they will beam themselves aboard the ship with their own transporter. The Ligonians arrive in a cargo hold, and offer Captain Picard a sample of the vaccine. As a precautionary measure to the captain's safety, Yar intercepts the transaction to which Lutan's bodyguards, especially Hagon, take offense and quickly ready weapons.

Lutan backs his guards down, showing admiring curiosity toward Lt. Yar concerning the fact that the woman holds a position in security. Lutan apologizes, stating that on his world the women own the land while the men rule over it. Picard offers a tour of the Enterprise, but Lutan insists that Yar lead the way. He is most interested in seeing the holodeck, and wishes to see a demonstration of Yar's fighting abilities. Yar shows them a defense training program "Akido 1" where she spars with a holographic opponent. Lutan is most impressed with her performance.

As the Ligonians prepare to leave, Lutan approaches Yar to personally thank her for the tour. He fakes a friendly embrace, grabbing her arm and activating a transport beam. He disappears along with his men and the Lieutenant. Picard rushes to the bridge and orders a Red Alert. He calls down to Lutan, announcing that the kidnapping of a Starfleet officer is an act of war. He calls for a spread of photon torpedoes to detonate in the atmosphere as a show of force, but receives no response.

In the meantime, Picard has Counselor Troi and Mr. Data surmise the reasoning behind Tasha's abduction. Data believes Lutan is "counting coup", by taking something of value from the enemy and fleeing; an act that some ancient tribes of Earth considered extremely heroic. Troi agrees, sensing Lutan has an abnormally high level of achievement, risking everything for honor. Tasha, being chief of security, represented the riskiest prize.

Lutan finally establishes contact, where Picard "asks nicely" for the return of Lt. Yar. Lutan indicates he will return Tasha at a banquet in his honor. Picard accepts the invitation and beams down with Troi, who believes Lutan, (having achieved the courtesy and recognition he desired), will be willing to return Yar. At the banquet however, Lutan announces that he will take Yar as his "first one", (i.e. "wife"), which leaves shocked expressions on all, especially Yareena, a Ligonian woman who is already supposed to be Lutan's first one. Angered, Yareena challenges Yar to a duel to the death to keep her husband, to which Lutan shows arrogant delight.

Picard objects to the combat, stating that Yar need not fight for Lutan since she clearly has no desire to marry him. Lutan threatens that if Yar does not fight, there will be no deal for the vaccine. Picard tries other options, but once informed by Dr. Crusher that the vaccine cannot be synthesized and the infection rate on Styris IV is rising, he sees no alternative short of violating the Prime Directive. For the procurement of the vaccine, Yar decides to accept the challenge.

Yar prepares for battle with confidence that her Starfleet combat training is far superior to whatever training Yareena has been given. To ensure Yar's safety, Picard has Geordi La Forge and Data inspect the various weapons used for the duels. They find they are coated in a poison which causes death within seconds. Yar selects a particularly wicked looking gauntlet covered with spikes. Picard then makes preparations to have Yar immediately beamed to sickbay if she is injured.

The duel begins, and Tasha and Yareena face off on a platform surrounded by light beams that mark off the arena boundaries. It is shown that the beams burn whatever passes through them, making escape impossible. Melee ensues with Tasha dodging Yareena's attacks as Hagon cheers on Yareena. In one round, Yareena loses her footing, glancing a blow off the light beams which sends her gauntlet into a crowd of spectators and instantly killing a man. Picard cringes at how quickly the poison works.

The fight resumes. Yareena charges Tasha who leaps to the side and gets a lucky hit against her opponent. Yareena looks down and sees blood flowing from her leg. She swallows hard, knowing her time is over. Suddenly, both combatants are transported to the Enterprise to the angry outbursts of the spectators. Lutan rises quickly, enraged at Picard's interference. Back on the Enterprise, a medical team stands by. As soon as Yareena materializes, she collapses to the floor and Dr. Crusher rushes to administer an antitoxin. It appears too late however, and Crusher pronounces the woman dead.

Back on the planet, Lutan and Hagon demand to know what happened to the women, and more importantly if Yareena has died. Picard offers to transport them to the Enterprise to see for themselves. The two are taken to sickbay where they are astonished to see Yareena is alive and well. Lutan becomes furious, stating the combat is forfeit since Tasha failed to kill Yareena, but Crusher interjects stating that "on the record", Yareena was confirmed dead, but she was able to bring her back. Yareena reminds Lutan by law, at the instant of death, a mating agreement is dissolved.

Lutan denies the outcome, and refuses to hand over the vaccine, however Yareena rips Lutan's status medallion from him, indicating that only through his marriage to her, was he able to keep his rule. She offers the medallion to Hagon, who she claims as her new "first one". She knew he supported her far more than Lutan had. Stripped of his status, Lutan is put into position of "second one" and Yareena fulfills the agreement to offer the vaccine supplies to Picard.