The First Duty

The Enterprise heads for Earth, where Picard is to give the Starfleet Academy commencement address. News arrives that Wesley's elite flight team, Nova Squadron, has crashed near Saturn's moon Titan, killing cadet Joshua Albert. At the inquiry the surviving cadets, led by squadron leader Nicholas Locarno, claim Joshua made an error during a Yeager Loop. Evidence gathered by the Enterprise crew contradicts them, and Picard deduces that the team was attempting the Kolvoord Starburst, a spectacular manoeuvre banned for over a century after it killed five cadets. Locarno has persuaded the others to cover up the truth to protect the squadron. Picard confronts Wesley, reminds him that a Starfleet officer's first duty is to the truth, and tells him that if he does not come forward, Picard will. At the hearing Wesley admits what happened. Locarno takes full responsibility and is expelled, while Wesley and the other survivors lose their year's academic credit and Wesley must repeat the year.