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Picard Season 3 Star Trek

The Next Generation

Star Trek: Picard2401: Her private medical ship boarded by pirates, Dr. Beverly Crusher puts up a fierce fight to repel the boarders, but is injured in the exchange of fire. Fortunately, her son Jack is on hand to put her in stasis and escape before more hostiles can arrive. Prior to going into stasis, however, Crusher sends a cryptic warning to retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, requesting his help but urging him not to bring Starfleet in on the matter.

Picard promptly meets with Riker to formulate a plan, though “plan” may be putting it charitably; it involves a surprise inspection of the U.S.S. Titan-A, whose captain they attempt to convince to visit the area of space near the last known coordinates of Crusher’s ship. Captain Shaw, however, isn’t up for a joyride. His first officer, on the other hand, is more sympathetic to Picard’s obvious need for a ship. Now serving as the first officer of the Titan-A after an accelerated Starfleet Academy program netted her the rank of commander, Seven of Nine allows Picard and Riker to borrow one of the ship’s shuttles, though “borrow” may, again, be putting it charitably.

In the seedy District Six of the planet M’Talas Prime, Raffi is deep undercover, trying to gather intelligence on a nebulous threat to the upcoming celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Federation’s founding. The only information she is able to gather is extremely cryptic, but then she witnesses a portal open beneath a building, swallowing it whole, and then another opening in the sky nearby, depositing the wreckage of that building on top of an unsuspecting civilian population. There is a threat, and she’s too late to stop it.

Just outside Federation space near the Ryton system, Picard and Riker board Crusher’s ship. They find her in a stasis chamber, awaiting medical treatment. They also meet her son, who seems to be in a hurry to get away. The large, vicious-looking ship that emerges from a nearby nebula seems to be a very good reason for Jack Crusher to want to get away.

Order DVDswritten by Terry Matalas
directed by Doug Aarniokoski
music by Stephen Barton / additional music by Max McGuire

Star Trek: PicardCast: Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), Michelle Hurd (Raffi Musiker), Ed Speleers (Jack Crusher), Jonathan Frakes (Captain William Riker), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Orla Brady (Laris), Todd Stashwick (Captain Liam Shaw), Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut (Ensign Sidney La Forge), Anthony Azizi (Orion Drug Dealer), Stephanie Czajkowski (Lt. T’Veen), Joseph Lee (Lt. Mura), Chad Lindberg (Ensign Foster), Jin Maley (Ensign Esmar), Jani Wang (Bartender), Christian Crandall (Dark Haired Man), Amy Earheart (Eleos Computer), Grace Lee (Picard Chateau / La Sirena Computer), Ric Sarabia (Human Patron)

Star Trek: PicardNotes: The episode is dedicated to Annie Wersching (1977-2023), who died of cancer months after appearing as the Borg Queen in the second season of Star Trek: Picard (she also made her first TV appearance in an episode of Enterprise). Two of the guest stars in this episode also appeared in Enterprise: Todd Stashwick appeared as a Romulan in Kir’Shara (2004), while Ric Sarabia appeared in Vanishing Point (2002). The music score has many references to Jerry Goldsmith (including the use of his theme from Star Trek: First Contact over the end credits) and some stylistic references to James Horner; the opening legend “In the 25th century…” hearkens back to the opening of Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan.

LogBook entry by Earl Green

Categories
Picard Season 3 Star Trek

Disengage

Star Trek: Picard2401: It quickly becomes apparent to Picard and Riker that Jack is the target of the attacking ship. Their only escape route, the shuttle “borrowed” from the Titan, is destroyed, and the Crushers’ ship is in no condition to put up a fight – or even to resist capture. After Seven cajoles him into it, Captain Shaw puts the Titan between the smaller ship and harm’s way, becaming Picard, Riker and the Crushers to safety. The safety, however, is relative and fleeting, as the Titan is now the hostile ship’s sole target. Vadic, the captain of the other ship, hails the Titan, demanding that Jack Crusher be handed over immediately, and despite a scan which reveals just how outgunned the Titan is, Captain Shaw refuses. Vadic gives him a one-hour deadline – and then, just to make sure Shaw knows she means business, uses a tractor beam to hurl Crusher’s ship directly at the Titan, doing serious damage. Outside of Federation jurisdiction and concerned for the lives of his crew, Shaw decides there’s no choice but to hand Jack over to Vadic.

Raffi reaches out to her Starfleet Intelligence handler for guidance on following leads into the recent attack against the Federation, only to be told that the investigation has been ordered closed. She returns to M’Talas Prime to continue investigating on her own, and has to arrange a meeting with a notorious Ferengi criminal through her ex-husband. But her attempt to bribe the information of of that Ferengi nearly proves fatal. Fortunately, someone has Raffi’s back – someone very handy with a Klingon sword. As time runs out for the Titan, Jack Crusher seems more than willing to turn himself over to Vadic to avoid any further bloodshed, and Picard is unable to convince Shaw to not surrender his prisoner. Riker brings Beverly Crusher to the bridge, where a single look confirms some Riker already suspected and Picard seemed unwilling to confront: Jack Crusher is Picard’s son. Picard pulls rank and assumes command, plunging the Titan and her crew into a fight they’re extremely unlikely to win.

Order DVDswritten by Christopher Monfette & Sean Tretta
directed by Doug Aarniokoski
music by Stephen Barton / additional music by Max McGuire

Star Trek: PicardCast: Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard), Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine), Michelle Hurd (Raffi Musiker), Ed Speleers (Jack Crusher), Michael Dorn (Worf), Jonathan Frakes (Captain William Riker), Gates McFadden (Dr. Beverly Crusher), Todd Stashwick (Captain Liam Shaw), Amanda Plummer (Vadic), Aaron Stanford (Sneed), Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut (Ensign Sidney La Forge), Randy J. Goodwin (Jae Hwang), Robert G. Morgan (Fenris Ranger), Stephanie Czajkowski (Lt. T’Veen), Joseph Lee (Lt. Mura), Chad Lindberg (Ensign Foster), Jin Maley (Ensign Esmar), Tiffany Shepid (Dr. Ohk), Amy Earheart (Eleos/Titan Computer), Adam Hunter (Security Officer), Naymon Frank (Guard), Grace Lee (La Sirena Computer)

LogBook entry by Earl Green