Stone of Gol

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In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Stone of Gol was an ancient Vulcan device. The device was from pre-reform times where the Vulcans had not begun practicing the suppression of emotion. The device was featured in the Star Trek: The Next Generation 7th season two part episode Gambit.

[edit] Background

The Stone of Gol was a psionic resonator. It amplified the telepathic energy of the operator and allowed that person to use it to kill others. The device would use telepathic energy to turn a person's violent thoughts and emotions against them. After the reforms of Surak led the Vulcan people to peace, the weapon became useless among Vulcans because they suppressed emotion. The Vulcan people came to believe that their gods destroyed the weapon.

Actually the resonator was broken up into three separate pieces. Two of the pieces found their way on to Vulcan ships and wound up on colony worlds. No one on Vulcan knew what happened to those pieces. The third piece remained on Vulcan, and was placed in a museum under heavy guard.

The resonator was considered one of the most devastating weapons ever conceived of. It could not be stopped by traditional means - such as weapons or defensive shields. It could kill a person instantly. The only way to stop the weapon was to empty ones mind of violent thoughts and emotions.

[edit] Reemergence

In the late 2360's, an isolationist movement had begun on Vulcan. This movement believed that contact with other worlds had compromised Vulcan purity and culture. The movement wanted to cut off contact with other races and rid Vulcan society of alien influences. In 2369 they broke into the museum where the first part of the psionic resonator was being held, and stole that part.

Afterwards, mercenary ships began raiding ancient Vulcan colony worlds in search for this piece. Eventually Captain Jean-Luc Picard stumbled upon the crew of one mercenary ship when he went to confront them about an archaeological site that they had destroyed. The crew took him into custody, but he managed to convince him that he was an archaeologist and smuggler named Galen.

Meanwhile, the crew of the Enterprise-D had believed Captain Picard had been killed. After receiving permission from Starfleet, they began an investigation into the apparent death of Captain Picard. The Enterprise crew soon encountered the mercenary crew and Commander Riker was captured in the process.

Riker was brought on board for questioning, and discovered that Picard was alive. Picard led the crew to believe that Riker was not an ideal officer, and the Captain - Arctus Baran - allowed Riker to join the crew. Picard met with Riker and told him how he had managed to wind up on board the mercenary vessel.

Picard analyzed a large number of artifacts, looking for a particular artifact. He eventually found the second part of the Stone of Gol which the ship had stolen from a Starfleet installation. A Klingon merchant had found the third part of the weapon. The Klingon had been detained by the Enterprise. Riker and Galen led a raid onboard the Enterprise. As part of their plot, Picard stunned Riker with a weapon, which allowed him to remain onboard Enterprise. Picard returned to the mercenary ship, and staged a mutiny. After Baran died, Picard took command of the ship and set them on course for Vulcan. Picard was able to examine the second and third parts of the Stone of Gol and found that the Vulcan gods of war and death had been carved into the device.

When they arrived at Vulcan, the weapon was reassembled by the isolationist leader Tallera. Picard got a glimpse of the completed weapon, and saw the Vulcan god of peace standing between the gods of war and death. Even though Tallera was able to kill the two members of the mercenary crew who had accompanied them, Picard and the Enterprise away team that had beamed down kept calm, and were unaffected by the weapon. Picard told Tallera that the weapon could not be stopped by physical weapons, but only by peace.

Vulcan security took Tallera and the Stone of Gol into custody. They began a search for the remainder of the isolationists. Realizing that the Stone of Gol was too dangerous, the Vulcans destroyed the weapon after Picard gave it to them.