Man of the People

TNG Season 6 Episode 3
Air Date: October 5th, 1992

The Enterprise responds to a distress call from a passenger freighter. The passenger freighter was under attack but the attackers fled when they saw the Enterprise coming. The freighter was carrying the Lumerian ambassador Ramid Ves Alkar. He was on route to a peace talk which only he can perform since he has a reputation with the two sides and has an uncanny ability to remain calm.

The Enterprise takes over transporting him as they feel any other transport could also get attacked and the Enterprise is the best ship to transport him. The Lumerians are empaths like Counselor Troi, only that can only feel the emotions of others. Ramid had found a way to transfer his negative emotions onto another empath so he can only experience the positive. It is what makes him a good negotiator. Only the recipients of the negative emotions starts rapidly growing old, over the course of 2 years a person goes from 30 to 93.

This is the case during the episode and his "emotion receptacles" dies. He takes Troi in her place but because she is not Lumerian she ends up aging to near death in days. Picard tries to get him to release her but he won't comply so they kill Troi and revive her after the link is broken. Ramid was unable to find a new receptacles and ends up aging instantly and dies.

During the episode Troi starts down a dark road as the negative emotions start to show themselves. As these emotions emerge she starts wearing more revealing clothing and a few of them I was surprised made it on prime time TV.

Quotes

"I think maybe my biggest asset is patience. I let everyone talk until they're exhausted. And when I start, they're too tired to argue." - Ambassador Ves Alkar

"Surely you can see there's a broader canvas here. If I came to these peace talks hindered by unwanted emotions, than the Rekags and Seronians would be condemned to go on fighting." - Ambassador Ves Alkar
"You cannot explain away a wantonly immoral act because you think that it's connected to some higher purpose." - Captain Picard
"Captain, do you know how many people have died on this planet in the last 48 hours? Thousands. Deanna Troi is just one individual." - Ambassador Ves Alkar
"That does not justify brutalizing her nor any of the others you have used." - Captain Picard
"Ask the Rekag-Seronian children who go to bed each night in fear of their lives. Captain, I get no payment. I have no power base, no agenda. I am willing to risk my life simply to help others." - Ambassador Ves Alkar
"Do you think that makes you appear courageous? Because you're mistaken. You're a coward, Alkar. You exploit the innocent because you're unwilling to shoulder the burdens of unpleasant emotions. Well, this time you will be held accountable." - Captain Picard