Pen Pals

The Enterprise is surveying a sector where planets are tearing themselves apart through violent geological instability. Riker puts Wesley in charge of a team of specialists studying the problem, and the young acting ensign must learn to give orders to older, more experienced colleagues. Meanwhile Data picks up a radio signal from Sarjenka, a child on Drema IV, and strikes up a friendship over the airwaves, against orders. As her world begins to break apart, the senior staff debate whether the Prime Directive forbids them to save a doomed civilisation. Picard leans towards non-interference until he hears Sarjenka's plea for himself. Data brings her aboard, and with the help of Wesley's findings the crew stabilises the planet's geology. To protect her culture, Pulaski erases Sarjenka's memories of the ship, and Data returns her home, leaving a singing stone as a parting gift.