The Masterpiece Society

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Star Trek: TNG episode
"Masterpiece Society"
The Enterprise crew tries to save "The Masterpiece Society".
Episode no.	113
Prod. code	213
Airdate	February 10, 1992
Writer(s)	Adam Belanoff Michael Piller Story by James Kahn Adam Belanoff
Director	Winrich Kolbe
Guest star(s)	John Snyder Dey Young Ron Canada
Year	2368
Stardate	45470.1
Episode chronology
Previous	"Violations"
Next	"Conundrum"

"The Masterpiece Society" was the 113th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the 13th episode of the show's fifth season. It was first broadcast on February 10, 1992.

In this episode, while the crew of the Federation Starfleet starship USS Enterprise saves an isolated genetically engineered society from immediate destruction, the cultural contamination resulting from their interaction may still ultimately doom the colony.

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The episode opens with a voiceover of Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s entry into his ship's log, stating that the Enterprise has been assigned to the Moab sector to track a stellar core fragment from a disintegrated Neutron star.

Unfortunately and unexpectedly it turns out that planet Moab IV, very near to the fragment’s projected path, is inhabited by humans. Picard attempts contact, at first getting no reply, but after he adds a warning about the approaching fragment, Aaron Conor, the settlement’s leader, responds. Conor explains that those on the planet frankly do not wish to have contact with outsiders, but that he answered the hail because of Picard’s warning. Picard and his Operations Officer Lt. Commander Data describe the dangers posed by the core, including tectonic shocks greater than 8.5 on the Richter scale which the structures on the planet won’t be able to withstand. Picard tells Conor that his people are going to have to evacuate and Conor rejects this suggestion, however, he does give permission for a delegation from the Enterprise to enter the colony’s biosphere and discuss the situation.

Conor explains to the away team that his people have been genetically engineered with selective breeding over seven generations in the pursuit of perfection. The founders of the colony intended to create people without flaws who would live in a "Masterpiece Society". Conor’s people believe that their colony is so perfectly balanced and tuned that all the accomplishments resulting from following the guiding principles they have lived by for over 200 years would be jeopardized if they evacuated.

Accepting this, the away team decides to investigate alternative solutions to the problem. Enterprise Chief Engineer Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge is introduced to Hannah Bates, one of the leading scientists of the colony, and two begin to collaborate on various possibilities. Meanwhile, the ship's Counselor Deanna Troi remains behind on the planet to take a tour of the settlement with the charming and handsome Conor.

Hannah shows Geordi an idea she was working on for a multi phase tractor beam. The two theorize that by using her idea along with the Federation’s technology and the immense output of the matter/anitmatter reaction warp core which powers the ship's warp drive propulsion system, it might be possible to modify the ship’s tractor beam, enabling the Enterprise to alter the course of the fragment. Reluctantly, Conor grants permission for her to go up to the Enterprise with Geordi and continue her research, which is the first time a colonist has ever left the biosphere since the original arrival of the founders.

Troi relays the insight gained from her experience with Conor and his people to Picard, telling him that many of the colonists hold such a strong belief in the principles of their founders that if a solution is not found they may choose to take their chances on the planet rather than evacuating. Picard does not have much sympathy for their beliefs, saying that he thinks genetic engineering is a bad idea whose time has passed. He adds that in his view uncertainty, self discovery, and the unknown are many of the qualities which make life worth living. He asks Troi to help Conor see the reality of what could happen to the colonists and their society if they choose to stay.

Troi returns to the colony to follow Picard’s request and spends more time with Conor. At a piano recital, even though both of them realize they are making a mistake, they allow their mutual attraction to influence them, and they have a romantic encounter. The next morning Troi returns to the Enterprise, telling Conor she regrets what happened and that it would be best if she didn’t see him again.

Aboard the Enterprise, Geordi and Hannah have no luck with their research, as moving a massive object on such a scale has ever been attempted before. Finally Geordi realizes that a compression routine similar to the technology used in his VISOR can break the energy pulses down enough that the emitter elements of the tractor beam will not burn out. He reflects on the irony of the fact that technology from a blind man’s visual prosthetic device – a man seen as disabled who would have been terminated as a fertilized cell in the genetically engineered colony – supplies the answer which saved the society. After several days of work the two are successful in developing the enhanced tractor beam, but unfortunately it won’t be able to change the fragment’s course enough to save the colony. However, Geordi and Hannah report to Picard that also augmenting the biosphere’s structure with portable shield generators supplied by the Enterprise should reinforce it enough to withstand the gravitational effects. When told of the plan, Conor resists the further ‘contamination’ of his society with 50 engineering teams from the Enterprise to set up and maintain the generators, but ultimately he decides to allow it.

After very nearly losing all life support on the Enterprise the core fragment is deflected 1.21 degrees, barely the amount needed, and the fragment passes without incident.

Soon after, the last of the Federation engineering teams leave for the Enterprise, and Conor congratuates Geordi and Hannah. This proves premature though, when an alarm goes off indicating a breach in the biosphere. After examining her instruments, Hannah reports that the reinforcement wasn’t adequate and the biosphere has cracked, adding that the colony is going to have to be evacuated after all. Geordi’s VISOR fails to pick up what she claims to have detected however, and she is forced to admit she fabricated the whole thing because she has decided she wishes to leave. She tells Geordi she has struggled with the realization that the outside world has progressed very rapidly while her supposedly superior genetically engineered society has lagged behind. La Forge opines that perhaps necessity is indeed the mother of invention, advancements are often not made unless you need them. Hannah replies that her people have been seeing only to the walls of their biosphere and now their eyes have been opened to the infinite possibilities which lie beyond, she says it is as if they have been living in the Dark Ages by comparison. She requests asylum aboard the Enterprise, and to leave Moab.

While he knows that due to the finely tuned nature of the engineered society it may be destroyed, Picard decides that he must extend asylum to those who request it, as to do otherwise would be to suppress the human right of free will. Troi accompanies the Captain down to the planet to discuss this with Conor, although she feels obligated to inform Picard of her mistaken liaison.

Although Conor implores Picard to reconsider, the Captain extends the offer of asylum in a general meeting of the colonists, although he suggests they consider carefully the choice they are making. Conor requests that those who wish to leave to give him 6 months before doing so, but ultimately Hannah and 22 others decide to leave immediately. Conor tells them that when they decide to come back they will be welcome.

As the Enterprise breaks orbit, Picard reflects with First Officer Commander William Riker that the intervention of the Federation to save the colonists may have, in the end, proved just as dangerous to the colony as any core fragment could ever have been.