Summary
Riker, Data, Troi and Worf beam down to Ursae Majoris Two, or ePlanet, an Earth colony settled in the late 21st century from which the Enterprise has received a distress call. They learn that the colonists left Earth because of opposition to their desire to implant technology into their bodies in order to experience the Internet in a more personal way. They now have implants in the ear, eye and head, as well as replacing one hand with a metal appendage, and are mentally linked to each other. Paulus, a member of the ruling Conclave, claims that no distress signal was sent. Data and Troi make contact with Dayna, an unaltered woman who belongs to a group of colonists who have rebelled against the implants and are living in hiding. The Enterprise's visit is the catalyst for many more people to rebel, causing the colony to split apart but bringing its people real freedom for the first time.
References
Characters
- Beverly Crusher • Dan • Data • Dayna • Harroldus • Jakaru • Geordi La Forge • Paulus • Jean-Luc Picard • William T. Riker • Deanna Troi • Willus • Worf
- Referenced only
- Alloyed • Khan Noonien Singh
Starships and vehicles
Locations
- City-Zero alpha • Earth • ePlanet • Gates Boulevard • Milky Way Galaxy • North America • Ursae Majoris II
Races and cultures
- Android • Betazoid • Human (ePlanetian) • Klingon
States and organizations
Other references
- 21st century • art • away team • briefing room • city • colony • communications • conference room • culture • distress call • emotion • Eugenics Wars • flower • food • genetic drift • genie • history • hive mind • limestone • mineral • mosaic • museum • music • orbit • planet • political asylum • politics • Prime Directive • ready room • sector • security • touch telepathy • trading post • tree • uniform • war
Occupations and titles
- captain • commander • counselor • department head • doctor • ensign • first officer • lieutenant • number one • officer • security guard
Technology and weapons
- android • cash register • colony ship • combadge • communicator • computer • internet • phaser • robot • security pad • server • starship • technology • transporter • tricorder • viewscreen • weapon
Chronology
Appendices
Background
- The Planet has a "Gates Boulevard", presumably named for Bill Gates.
- The colonists left Earth due to opposition to their goals in the wake of the Eugenics War.
- Paulus' mention of the Vulcans leads Troi to comment, "You have kept current with the galaxy," even though the colonists left Earth in the late 21st century, probably after the past events of TNG movie & novelization: Star Trek: First Contact. (Willus has, however, already mentioned the Borg.)
- Placing this story in any time line is quite difficult. As the Borg and their collective are mentioned and already known to some extent and due to the appearance of Beverly Crusher, it has to occur after TNG episode: "The Best of Both Worlds". Since experiences achieved from the crew's encounter Hugh are not mentioned, although that would have made sense within the story otherwise, a placing prior to the episode TNG episode: "I, Borg" seems to be the best option.
Connections
Timeline
| published order | ||
|---|---|---|
| Previous story: Empty |
Strange New Worlds 10 | Next story: A Dish Served Cold |
| Previous story: Solace in Bloom Strange New Worlds 9 |
TNG short stories | Next story: A Dish Served Cold Strange New Worlds 10 |
| Previous story: first Star Trek story |
Stories by: Aimee Ford Foster |
Next story: most recent work |
| chronological order | ||
| Previous adventure: Kristin's Conundrum Strange New Worlds V |
Memory Beta Chronology | Next adventure: Efflorescence Strange New Worlds V |
| Previous adventure: Kristin's Conundrum Strange New Worlds V |
voyages of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) | Next adventure: Efflorescence Strange New Worlds V |