New Ground (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

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Star Trek: TNG episode
"New Ground"
"New Ground".
Episode no.	110
Prod. code	210
Airdate	January 19, 1992
Writer(s)	Grant Rosenberg Story by Sara Charno & Stuart Charno
Director	Robert Scheerer
Guest star(s)	Georgia Brown Brian Bonsall Richard McGonagle Jennifer Edwards
Year	2368
Stardate	45376.3
Episode chronology
Previous	"A Matter of Time"
Next	"Hero Worship"

"New Ground" is an episode of the fifth season of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The episode has an average rating of 2.6/5 on the official Star Trek website (as of September 20, 2007).[1]

[edit] Summary

Worf has to quickly learn about parenting when his son Alexander Rozhenko arrives to join him on the Enterprise.

In the beginning of the episode La Forge is excited about the first trial run of soliton wave transportation technology, that the Enterprise will be assisting. La Forge notes that witnessing the Soliton wave transportation would be like witnessing Zephram Cochrane engage the first warp drive. He later does this in Star Trek: First Contact. His excitement is not met by either Data or Worf. Worf receives a communication from his human mother who requests to visit with his son Alexander. On arrival Alexander reveals that it was not intended for him to go back.

In Ten Forward Worf's mother explains that Alexander is too much of a burden on them. After enrolling Alexander in school, Worf finds many new problems with his arrival of the son. Alexander soon lies and steals during a school field trip.

During the science experiment of the wave transportation, the Enterprise experiences a distortion and is damaged and the test ship explodes. The wave exponentially increases in power and speed, and is on a collision course with a colony at Lemma II.

Alexander continues to cause problems in school and Worf is forced to review his parenting habits. He decides to send Alexander to a Klingon school, believing that it's what's best for Alexander. However, Alexander feels he is being rejected by Worf.

The Enterprise manages to dissipate the wave with photon torpedoes. Alexander is saved from a damaged area of the Enterprise by Riker and Worf. Afterwards, Worf lets Alexander stay on the Enterprise, saying, "In a Klingon school, children are challenged mentally and physically to make them independent. A greater challenge is before you: staying here with me."

"I accept the challenge," Alexander answers.