A Mathematically Perfect Redemption

Adrift in space since the battle with the Pakleds, the exocomp Peanut Hamper builds a companion and a makeshift ship, then abandons her new friend when Drookmani scavengers appear. She crash-lands on Areolus, home of the bird-like Areore, who welcome her as a gift. Dismissive of these “primitive” people at first, she gradually becomes the village healer, saves the chief, Kaltorus, from a snake bite and falls for his son, Rawda, who reveals that his ancestors deliberately left their advanced starships buried beneath the village. When the Drookmani return to plunder those ships, the Cerritos answers Peanut Hamper's distress call. But her redemption is a sham: she invited the Drookmani herself, planning to save the day and win her way back into Starfleet. Exposed, she abandons Rawda and even tries to call in the Borg. The crew stop her, and she ends up locked away at the Daystrom Institute, beside the scheming computer AGIMUS.