Aquiel

TNG Season 6 Episode 13
Air Date: February 1st, 1993

The Enterprise arrives at a small subspace relay that is normally manned by two officers for a resupply mission but find the station deserted. They discover a dog and the cellular remains of what appears to be Lt. Aquiel Uhnari. Lt. Cmdr. La Forge is tasked to recover the crew's personal logs to see if there is a clue to what happened.

As Geordi goes through Aquiel's logs he starts to get to know her personally and even falls for her a bit. When the Klingons end up finding her in the missing shuttle in Klingon Space the mystery of what happen grows as she can't remember and why would her cellular residue be found on the floor the station in what looks like a phaser or disruptor disintegration.

Doctor Crusher learns that the cells found were mixed with another kind of cell from a coalescent life form. A coalescent life form normally absorbs other life forms then mimics them. In the case of individual cells it just appears like the cells it came into contact with. But with a multi-celled organism it could become anybody.

They suspect the coalescent life form is either a Klingon who was on the station in the past or Aquiel. What they didn't suspect is it was the dog, which almost absorbed Geordi.

Red Shirts

The other crew member in the station that was unaccounted for and assumed absorbed by the coalescent life form was also identified as wearing a blue tunic.

Quotes

"Are you saying we attacked your outpost?" - Governor Torak
"I'm merely saying that I'm following up on evidence that my officers discovered on board." - Captain Picard
"Evidence. So you are making an accusation! The Klingon Empire will not stand for these kinds of lies!" - Governor Torak
"Governor Torak, I apologize. I can see that you honestly didn't know what happened aboard the station. I will just have to take this matter up with Gowron. I'm really sorry that we bothered you." - Captain Picard
"Gowron won't bother with such a minor incident!" - Governor Torak
"Well, ordinarily, he wouldn't, but of course, I was his Arbiter of Succession. I'm sure that he will be happy to come here and investigate this matter. You needn't worry about it any longer." - Captain Picard
"Gowron will come here?" - Governor Torak
"Oh, yes. So once again, thank you for your help. Oh, I will be sure to mention your name to Gowron when I speak to him." - Captain Picard
"I will investigate this further, Picard. You need not bother Gowron with this matter." - Governor Torak
"That's very kind. Qapla'!" - Captain Picard
"Qapla'!" - Governor Torak