We pick up where we left off: Riker and Picard are undercover on a mercenary ship investigating their search for a series of ancient artifacts; Riker as a rogue Starfleet officer and Picard as a human mercenary. The Enterprise, commanded by Data, has intercepted the mercenary ship and has attempted to apprehend the mercenaries but Riker uses his command codes to override the Enterprise defenses; Data plays along -since Riker's codes were deactivated when he was captured- and has the ship lower its shields, Picard fires the mercenary ship's weapons on the Enterprise.
The power of the phaser/disruptor fire isn't significant but Data has the ship fake damage by showing signs of power loss, he returns fire at reduced power. On the mercenary ship Picard fakes the ship getting damage and suggests that they get out of there while the Enterprise is weakened; the mercenary ship is still no match. The alien commander agrees and the mercenaries bolt. (Being untrackable while at warp due to their ship's construction.)
Data opts to not follow and to instead investigate their next course of action, Worf -now acting First Officer- challenges this but Data is insistent they take no action and he begins to investigate the message from Riker to look for a hidden message. They eventually fine one that reveals the mercenary ship's flight plan and where they intend to go next. Data orders them to the next destination. After the order is given, Worf grumbles "Finally!" out loud. Data asks Worf to the Ready Room where he disciplines Worf's overt insubordination.
Worf feels he's always been able to do such a thing, but Data reminds Worf that now as First Officer it's not his job to question orders but to carry them out. If Worf feels he cannot do that then he can go back to tactical without a note in his record and Data will find someone else to be First Officer. Worf agrees to perform his duty better. Data apologizes if this interaction has ended the friendship between him and Worf; but Worf feels it is he who endangered the friendship and is willing to forget this if Data can.
Picard continues his ruse and antagonism against Riker on the mercenary ship but soon finds his cover blown by the Romulan mercenary who turns out to actually be Vulcan, she says she's from Vulcan Security and is trying to get a hold of an ancient Vulcan weapon that some Vulcan Isolationists are trying to get a hold of. These Vulcan Isolationists are basically "Vulcan Purists" and feel that Vulcan's interaction with other species is tainting their society and wishes for Vulcan to become isolated from the rest of the galaxy. They intend to reassemble an ancient Vulcan weapon, used when Vulcans were much more savage and war-driven, to help them bring in this new era on Vulcan. Vulcan Security wants to seize and destroy the weapon before the Isolationists get it.
Picard reveals his cover and agrees to work with the Vulcan officer to see the weapon doesn't fall in the wrong hands.
The alien commander confides in Riker, asking him to kill Galen (Picard) once they have the final piece of the artifact.
The Enterprise arrives at the final destination several hours before the mercenary ship and finds a Klingon shuttle there, contacting the pilot finds him not forthcoming with information. Since the treaty between the Federation and the Klingons allows him safe passage, Data is unsure how to move forward. Worf recommends the guise of conducting a "health and safety inspection" -which the Federation is allowed to perform- in order to inspect the Klingon shuttle. Data doubts this is enough to go on, but decides that of the Klingon pilot feels the Federation overstepped its bounds he can file a complaint later. They bring the shuttle in to conduct the inspection.
As Worf and Crusher inspect the shuttle they don't find anything and run out of options on how to maintain their cover; meanwhile Troi and Data find the Klingon pilot not forthcoming with information while hosting him in the Observation Lounge.
When the mercenary ship arrives they're surprised to find the Enterprise there, giving Galen more of a chance to challenge Riker's loyalties. The commander sends them both to the ship to retrieve the artifact from the Klingon. Picard to see that the artifact is legit and Riker to kill Picard since his insubordination is disruptive to the crew.
The alien boarding party begins in the shuttle bay where they don't find the artifact in the shuttle, Riker stuns Crusher and Worf and they use a shuttle transporter to get to the Observation Lounge; there they find the artifact on the Klingon's person. Once verified, Riker tries to shoot at Picard, Picard dodges and fires at Riker. When Troi and Data see to him, Picard asks if Riker is dead and Troi says he is. Picard and the mercenaries beam back to their ship with the recovered artifact.
In actuality, Riker was only stunned and prepares to explain things to Troi and Data.
On the mercenary ship, Picard challenges the alien commander and forms a mutiny with him and the other mercenaries, when the commander threatens to use his discipline-device to kill Picard to end the mutiny but when he does so he ends up killing himself. Picard explains he switched the transponder codes.... because... he... can... do.... that? He takes command of the ship, destroys the discipline device and has them head towards Vulcan, the location of the final piece.
Riker contacts Vulcan to make them aware of what is going on but the Vulcan Security Administrator says they have no operatives in the field on this particular assignment.
On arrival at Vulcan the "Security Officer" insists she goes to the site alone but Picard is able to rally the crew to get them to all go, the Vulcan reveals Picard's real identity the mercenaries care more about their payday.
In the cavern with the final piece the Vulcan assembles the artifact and announces it is a weapon that can harness psionic energy and it will help the separatist movement in their goals. She uses it to incapacitate the mercenaries just before the Enterprise away team beams in. Picard says the weapon can only be used against those with aggressive thoughts and orders the away team to put down their weapons and clear their minds, it renders the device useless. Apparently exhausted from the mental exhaustion of using the device Picard is able to get the device from the separatist; it's eventually given to Vulcan Security who intend to destroy it and find the other separatists.
Back on the ship, Picard prepares to resume his duties when he's reminded that since he's "dead" he can no longer give orders. Picard takes note of the joke and intends to exploit to get a good night's sleep, Riker is reminded by Data that he's committed several Court Martial worthy offenses and is a renegade. (Riker grins at this title) Picard suggests Data escort Riker to the bridge before retiring to his room. Riker chuckles but when he attempts to leave Data takes Riker towards the bridge, oblivious to Picard's joke.
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A pretty good follow up to the first part and still more-or-less remains a good two-parter episode. I still really liked Picard's "Galen" ruse and Riker's "renegade officer" ruse.
Basketball player James Worthy has very few lines, but does a great job as the tall and imposing Klingon smuggler.
I liked seeing more of Data in command and thought he does a pretty good job of it, including his disciplining of Worf in the ready room. It's interesting how well Data can convey emotions (like displeasure or anger) without actually feeling them.
It really is sort-of surprising Worf would be so insubordinate in his role as First Officer. You'd think he'd know how to behave in a bit more professional of a manner.
The notion of there being radical Vulcans wanting to go back to a simpler, more logic-filled, way of Vulcan life before their involvement with The Federation and other races is quite interesting.
I know Riker attempts, and probably gets, the mercenary ship clearance into Vulcan but the mercenaries seem to act as though they can just fly up to Vulcan, beam down to sacred caverns and do whatever they want. As Picard says, it's one of the founding worlds of the Federation, shouldn't it be a bit more secure?
After the mercenary first fires on the Enterprise with the gimped phaser fire, Worf says the hits occurred on the port nacelle. The exterior shot of the battle had the attack occur on the starboard nacelle.
In the world we live in today, in 2015, and considering things like TSA and the leaps the US, and other, governments go to in order to have "an excuse" to conduct investigations and inspections in the name of safety and security, it's sort of interesting and disturbing to see the vaguely named "health and safety inspection" as a ruse to search a ship for contraband.
Overall, a decent episode. I rate it, "better than Liaisons."
