A Matter of Honor

TNG Season 2 Episode 8
Air Date: February 6th, 1989

Plot

Riker joins the Klingon ship IKS Pagh as first officer in an exchange program. In that role he is challenged as any Klingon would be and it seems Riker does his homework. They eventually detect a hole forming in the hull caused by some life form which the the Klingon Captain Kargan believes was planted by the Enterprise. He decides to destroy the Enterprise in retaliation leaving Riker in a conflict of interest. He is sworn to follow the orders of his captain, but he is still a Federation officer. He decides to do the Klingon approach to the problem, and plants a tracer beacon on Kargan and has him transported to the Enterprise. He then takes command of the Pagh and demands the Enterprise surrender, which Picard does. Turns out the Enterprise had encountered the same hole forming life form and how to deal with it.

Commentary

At first you expect Riker to get beat up and mocked the whole time he is on the Pagh, but Riker knew what to do. He challenged the 2nd in command right away asserting his right to be in that role. He made sure he could stomach the food. When Captain Kargan was returned to his ship in the end, he even knew to let Kargan take a free swing at him so the crew would take him back as Captain. It was an interesting view into how a Klingon ship operates.

Quotes

"It's been my understanding that one of the duties of the first officer of the Klingon vessel is to assassinate his captain?" - Riker
"Yes, sir." - Worf
"Wouldn't that bring about chaos?" - Riker
"Of course not. See, when and if the captain becomes weak or unable to perform, it is expected that his honorable retirement should be assisted by his First. Your second officer will assassinate you for the same reasons." - Worf

"I will obey your orders, I will serve this ship as First Officer, and, in an attack against the Enterprise, I will die with this crew, but I will not break my oath of loyalty to Starfleet." - Riker
"If you had told those secrets about the Enterprise, I would have labeled you a traitor and killed you where you stood, but instead you will die with us. You'll die like a Klingon." - Kargan

"That might've been one of the shortest assignments in the history of Starfleet." - Riker
"Wrong, Number One. It was almost the longest. Well done." - Picard
"Thank you. Actually, I learned quite a bit." - Riker
"Apparently not when to duck." - Picard
"When not to duck would be more accurate." - Riker