"The Masterpiece Society"

[Mr. Atoz]

Tracking a stellar core fragment broken off from an neutron star, the Enterprise finds previously unknown Human colony on Moab IV (Genome Colony), directly in its path. Riker and Troi beam down to talk to the administrator, Aaron Conor. The colony is genetically engineered and in perfect social balance, so that they cannot leave without disrupting their entire society (or so they believe). Laforge and their chief scientist, Hannah Bates, finally come up with a way to save the colony by increasing the tractor beam strength by 400% and by reinforcing the colony's shields at the same time.

This story raises several questions. One, if the stellar core fragment is all that dense, the tidal forces should have also effected the Enterprise herself when she got within tractor beam range. Two, I would think it's not so much the strength of the tractor beam but the power available in the Enterprise's propulsion system; a starship simply wouldn't have the mass to affect any change in the fragment's inertia. Three, wouldn't the colony's own laws (as embodied by the Administrator) supercede Starfleet directives about human rights?

[Thallassa]

If memory serves, isn't this the one where Aaron Conor falls in love with Deanna Troi? And later on, she confesses to Captain Picard that she had a "relationship" with him. I always wondered how you can have a "relationship" with someone you met only three days ago... unless... you don't think she slept with him, do you?

[Mr. Atoz]

I'm... er... not sure if I want to speculate about that.

[Thallassa]

You men are such hypocrites sometimes! People speculate about Kirk's love life all the time. Why is Deanna's off limits?

[Mr. Atoz]

I'm not saying it's off limits, just that I personally don't feel comfortable speculating in that area. But you're absolutely right -- there shouldn't be any problem merely becoming friends with someone you've just contacted on diplomatic mission, so if she felt she had to warn Picard about their "relationship", that does seem to indicate that it was much deeper than casual friendship. That's a good point.

[Thallassa]

What do you suppose attracted her in the first place? He is a bit good looking, intelligent, sensitive, commanding, some of the same qualities that Riker has. But the quality I noticed most was his patience. Even though he knew what his law officer was going to say every time, he still listened to him, then put his foot down.

[Mr. Atoz]

Conor seemed a very quiet, unassuming guy for a leader. But now that you mention it, this was probably that quality you mean. He had the patience to hear everyone out before he made a decision. And he was very curious, too.

[Thallassa]

Oh yes! I must have really hurt him afterwards to stay locked up in that dome knowing there was an entire universe out there. But his position made it impossible to leave.