The High Ground (TNG episode)

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Star Trek: TNG episode
"The High Ground"
Dr. Beverly Crusher takes "The High Ground".
Episode no.	60
Prod. code	160
Airdate	January 29, 1990
Writer(s)	Melinda M. Snodgrass
Director	Gabrielle Beaumont
Guest star(s)	Kerrie Keane Richard Cox Marc Buckland Fred G. Smith Christopher Pettiet Brandi Sherwood
Year	2366
Stardate	43510.7
Episode chronology
Previous	"The Hunted"
Next	"Déjà Q"

"The High Ground" was the 60th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the 12th episode of the third season. It was first broadcast on January 29, 1990.

In this episode, a crew member of the Federation Starfleet starship USS Enterprise-D is taken hostage by terrorists who hope Federation involvement will help them win concessions for their cause.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

As the episode opens, the USS Enterprise is in orbit above the non-affiliated planet Rutia IV on a routine mission dropping off medical supplies. The ship's Klingon Chief of Security, Lt. Worf, and Chief Medical officer Dr. Beverly Crusher are on the surface supervising the delivery of the supplies when suddenly an explosion goes off nearby which injures several bystanders, apparently the work of a terrorist bomb. Beverly rushes to help the wounded while Worf tries to provide security for her, but due to the danger of the situation, Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard orders her back to the Enterprise. Crusher refuses to leave until she can finish administering emergency care. Suddenly with a strange flash of light a man appears next to Beverly and seizes her, vanishing with her just as quickly as he came.

Captain Picard and First officer Commander William Riker meet with the head of Rutian security Alexana Devos (Keane), who tells them that Beverly has been abducted by intransigent and ruthless Ansata separatist rebels who for 70 years have been battling for independence from the Western continent. She adds that she’s sure they will try to use Crusher as a hostage to demand concessions from the Rutian government. She hints that advanced Federation weaponry might turn the tide in favor of the Government and aid in Crusher’s recovery, but the Starfleet officers reject this option out of hand. Picard returns to the Enterprise leaving Riker behind to coordinate the recovery operation with local officials. Devos orders all known and suspected sympathizers and members of the Ansata rounded up for interrogation. The suspects are treated very severely and with little regard for human rights. When Riker questions Devos’ apparently hardball tactics she tells him that they are much gentler than those of her predecessors, in the past many of those who were detained simply disappeared while in custody. She adds that several of the Rutain government officers who held her post previously have been assassinated.

Aboard the Enterprise, Chief Operations officer Lt. Commander Data, and acting Ensign Wesley Crusher begin to research the mystery of the Ansata transportation technology. After examining equipment taken from several captured terrorists they theorize that the terrorists are using a type of dimensional shift. Since this technology allows the crossing of dimensional barriers nothing can stop those who are using it from going anywhere they want, not even shields or force fields. The technology already had been investigated and discarded by the Federation a number of years earlier even though it was initially promising when it was discovered that an unavoidable by product of the process was cumulative and irreversible DNA damage to living organisms. Data and Wesley tell Picard that if they are correct anyone using this technology will have a classical type of this damage which will be detectable.

Beverly regains consciousness and discovers she is shackled and being held prisoner in an underground cavern which has no connection to the surface. Kyril Finn, (Cox) the man who kidnapped her, turns out to be the leader of the Ansata. She quickly discovers he is a radical willing to die for what he believes. He offers her food, but following her Starfleet training she holds "The High Ground" and refuses to eat or cooperate with him in any way, despite his attempts to use threats, fear, and intimidation against her.

After several hours Finn finally admits that Crusher’s refusal to eat is bothering him, and that he doesn’t want her to be afraid of him. He unshackles her and tries to make her more comfortable, she finally eats some of his food. Finn tells her that he and his compatriots are oppressed and fighting an intractable enemy in the Rutian government, saying that he is a patriot for his cause he compares himself to George Washington. Finn puts Crusher to work treating some members of his group who have a mysterious aliment. She quickly deduces that they are dying due to cellular DNA damage and that the rebel’s dimensional shift technology is responsible. Beverly tells Finn she can do nothing for his people other than to make them comfortable, but further damage to others can be stopped if they quit using the shift. Finn replies that the dimensional shift technology, which the rebels call “the inverter”, is one of the few advantages they have in their fight with the Government and they will have to keep using it.

Data and Wesley continue their work, finally informing Picard that if the Ansata dimensional technology is used again they will be able to track down the location of the rebel base.

In the rebel cavern Finn shows Beverly several sketches he drew of her and she says that it’s too bad he can’t concentrate on drawing instead of terrorism. He replies that he can do both equally well. Angrily she observes that he has become very casual about killing, but he replies that he takes his killing very seriously.

Meanwhile Riker discovers how completely ruthless and inhumane the Rutian civil war has become when Devos tells him about an Ansata shuttle bus bombing which resulted in the deaths of 60 school children.

Finn, convinced that the Federation is helping the Rutian Government and hoping that Federation involvement will be to their advantage, launches a surprise assault on the Enterprise in an attempt in his words "destroy the Federation flagship, and then we would be heard". Under duress, Beverly pleads to Finn not to attack, citing Wes. Finn explained that he too had a son. He was killed in detention at the age of 13.

Several Ansata members dimension shift aboard the Enterprise, making transporters and force fields unable to contain the attackers. As the Rebels attack Engineering, they plant a bomb on the warp core in an attempt to destroy the ship, and bring the Federation directly involved. Enterprise Chief Engineer Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge succeeds in removing the bomb and beaming it into space where it explodes harmlessly. Finn then shifts onto the bridge, shooting out Data's console and the conn. Picard greets Finn with a vicious jab, and tackles him. Worf takes a phaser hit, but not before scoring a hit with a phaser blast of his own. Finn shifts out, taking Picard with him before ship security arrives in force. The end result of the attack leaves three crewmen dead and four wounded.

Riker and Devos returns to the ship and is debriefed on the assault. He's left dumbfounded on the motive behind the attack on the Enterprise, saying that he "just wanted to talk". Devos balks at Riker's diplomatic stance to the situation.

Picard refuses to cooperate with Finn just as Beverly did, but Finn tells him that whether he helps them willingly or not. Having a Starfleet Captain will make a powerful bargaining chip for his side. Picard tries to tell him that the Federation is not there to take sides or get involved, but Finn answers that they have already gotten involved by providing aid in the form of the medical supplies to the Rutian Government. He adds that Picard and the Federation had already added a chair at the table, he is just forcing them to sit in it.

Finn dimension shifts aboard the Enterprise, and tells Counselor Deanna Troi that he wants to establish negotiations with the Rutian government, followed by a blockade on the planet by Starfleet. He tells her that this blockade would continue while talks are being arbitrated by a Federation mediator. He shifts out just as security arrives at the scene.

As promised, Data and Wes are able to track the Ansata dimension shift back to the source. Riker and Devos prepare to lead a rescue team comprised of Federation and Rutian security personnel into Finn's stronghold.

In the rebel's cavern, Finn privately tells Beverly in an aside that he may have to kill Picard if the Rutian Government and Federation refuse to make concessions. Beverly tells him that she fears that he might actually win his fight for independence. After he leaves, Picard tells Beverly to continue seeming to cooperate as it may help her to win Finn’s confidence. After she shows him the sketches Finn drew earlier it is apparent that she has done so and more.

Transporting into the rebel base, Riker and Worf shut down the terrorist's power generator and most resistance is quickly overcome in the ensuing confusion. Realizing that he has lost, Finn decides to go out fighting by executing Picard, but he is shot from behind by Devos before he can fire. Chastised by Riker for not attempting to take Finn alive, Devos tells him that as a prisoner Finn would have drawn more violence as his followers attempted to free him, while Finn's death as a martyr may cause the violence to abate somewhat, at least in the short term. Suddenly a young boy who was helping Crusher treat the injured Ansata operatives appears with a weapon and prepares to exact revenge on Alexana, but Beverly is able to dissuade him, saying “No more killing”. The boy surrenders and is taken into custody by Rutian Security. Seeing this, Picard observes that perhaps this might be how lasting peace could take hold, with one person putting down their weapon and refusing to continue the violence.

After returning to the Enterprise, Beverly reunites with Wes, and gratefully tells him that she owes him her freedom. Wes takes it in stride, indicating "he was just part of the team".

[edit] Production

In his study of terrorism, Data notes that Ireland would be reunified in 2024 as a result of a successful terrorist campaign.
Due to its content (and specifically its mention of Irish reunification), this episode has never been shown on free-to-air television in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland, and initial airings were edited when shown on Sky One. The episode was broadcast unedited in May 2006 on Sky One.
On the video surveillance monitors in Alexana Devos' office, several slightly modified images of Earth cities can be made out. The most prominent is an image of the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York.