Ep 7. The Enemy

While probing an unexplored planet, the Enterprise's emergency transporter beam is activated, materializing a Romulan officer on board the ship. The crew is initially hostile towards the prisoner of war, assuming he caused damage to their equipment and that he's responsible for the death of one of their crew members.

In sickbay, Dr. Crusher stabilizes the Romulan, who is in critical condition. Captain Picard recognizes that his duty to help and protect all life outweighs any resentment towards the Romulans, who have been enemies for years. He orders his crew to treat the enemy prisoner, even at the expense of the ship's mission to rescue a stranded crewmember on a nearby planet.

Picard assigns Geordi La Forge to be in charge of the Romulan patient's care, with the condition that all precautions be taken to prevent the prisoner from escaping or causing any harm. Geordi initially struggles with the idea of caring for an enemy of the Federation, but Picard reminds him of their duty as Starfleet officers to uphold certain ethical principles and standards of behavior towards all life, regardless of any biases or preconceived notions.

As the Romulan's condition worsens, Geordi learns more about him, including information about his family, cultural traditions, and reasons for joining the Romulan military. Geordi begins to see him not just as a Romulan, but as an individual with his own story and experiences, just like anyone else.

Meanwhile, on the nearby planet, Commander Riker and a team of crew members search for the stranded crewmember, but face many obstacles, including dangerous natural elements and a group of hostile aliens. The rescue mission becomes a race against time as the stranded officer's health deteriorates and the Enterprise's proximity to the planet is causing dangerous atmospheric conditions.

The Romulan's health continues to decline, and Geordi must make a difficult decision whether to continue with the treatments that are causing him pain or to stop them and allow the prisoner to pass away with dignity. In a moving scene, Geordi realizes the prisoner is a man who is facing the same struggles and suffering that any person would in his situation. He decides that the humane and ethical decision is to ease the Romulan's pain and make him as comfortable as possible in his final moments.

This episode explores the themes of duty, morality, and compassion in the context of war and conflict. It challenges the audience to think about how humans (and alien species) treat others who are different from them, and to question whether the goal of a mission or war justifies mistreatment or neglect of an enemy. Overall, this is a powerful and thought-provoking episode that showcases the emotional depth and complexity of Star Trek: The Next Generation.