'The Chase' (Story Code 246) by Joe Menosky Story by Joe Menosky and Ronald D. Moore

Captain Picard receives a surprise visit from his old archaeology professor, Professor Richard Galen, whom he has not seen for thirty years. Galen gives him a gift of a twelve-thousand-year-old artefact from the Kerl system, and then asks him to accompany him on a long expedition so important, that its ultimate findings could have a monumental effect heard throughout the galaxy. Picard is very tempted, but realises that he cannot leave the U.S.S. Enterprise, and he refuses the professor’s offer’ Galen is bitterly disappointed, and decides to leave the ship immediately. However, it is not long before the Enterprise receives a distress call from Galen, whose shuttle is under attack by Yridians; the Enterprise intercepts the attacking battlecruiser, but inadvertently causes it to explode; Galen is beamed to Sickbay suffering from heavy injuries, and after telling Picard that he was too harsh in his judgement of him, he dies. A search of Galen’s records reveal strange blocks of numbers; unable to make sense of them, Picard foregoes the diplomatic conference he is to attend, and instead sets course for the last location that Galen visited: Ruah IV, part of an unexplored star system. Finding nothing of interest there, Picard then heads for Galen's next intended destination, Indri VIII; the ship arrives just in time to witness a strange plasma reaction completely destroy the planet's biosphere. After the captain theorises that Galen's files may relate to organic matter, he and Doctor Crusher discover that the number-blocks are mathematical representations of DNA fragments, from different life-forms from nineteen planets scattered across the quadrant. Arriving at Loren III, the only world capable of sustaining life in the area, the Enterprise encounters two Cardassian war vessels and a Klingon attack cruiser. It seems that Picard and his crew are not the only ones on the trail of the Professor’s discovery…

Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander William Thomas Riker), LeVar Burton (Chief Engineer Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Security Chief Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Doctor Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Councelor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lieutenant Commander Data), Salome Jens (Humanoid), Jogn Cothran, Jr. (Nu'Daq), Maurice Roëves (Romulan Captain), Linda Thorson (Gul Ocett), Norman Lloyd (Professor Galen), Majel Barrett (Computer Voice)

Directed by Jonathan Frakes
Produced by Peter Lauritson
Co-Produced by Ronald D. Moore
Co-Executive Producer Jeri Taylor
Executive Producers Michael Piller and Rick Berman

TX:
26th April, 1993

Notes:
*Featuring Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William Thomas Riker, Chief Engineer Lieutenant Geordi La Forge, Security Chief Lieutenant Worf, Doctor Beverly Crusher, Councelor Deanna Troi and Lieutenant Commander Data