Schisms

TNG Season 6 Episode 5
Air Date: October 19th, 1992

While the Enterprise is charting a cluster, Cmdr. Riker has been suffering from exhaustion even after having a good night sleep. He soon discovers that he barely closes his eyes when the next day starts, and others are having similar issues. With Counselor Troi's help and they use the holodeck to discover they all have similar dreams, or rather memories of being abducted. Even Lt. Cmdr. Data was effected.

Turns out one of the modifications that Lt. Cmdr. La Forge made to the sensors turned the Enterprise into a beacon and an alien race from another spacial dimension were trying to learn about the crew of the Enterprise for unknown reasons. They send Riker back into the other dimension to leave a homing device and are able to destroy the link that the two dimensions have.

It was odd to watch an episode about alien abductions in a show where aliens are a significant part of the crew.

Red Shirts

One of the crew dies from the experiments the aliens were performing. He wore a gold uniform.

Ode To Spot by Data

Felis catus is your taxonomic nomenclature,
An endothermic quadruped, carnivorous by nature;
Your visual, olfactory, and auditory senses
Contribute to your hunting skills and natural defenses.

I find myself intrigued by your subvocal oscillations,
A singular development of cat communications
That obviates your basic hedonistic predilection
For a rhythmic stroking of your fur to demonstrate affection.

A tail is quite essential for your acrobatic talents;
You would not be so agile if you lacked its counterbalance.
And when not being utilized to aid in locomotion,
It often serves to illustrate the state of your emotion.

O Spot, the complex levels of behavior you display
Connote a fairly well-developed cognitive array.
And though you are not sentient, Spot, and do not comprehend,
I nonetheless consider you a true and valued friend.

Quotes

"I've been in this room before." - Lt. Cmdr La Forge
"We've all been here before." - Cmdr. Riker