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Final Mission (TNG episode)
Encyclopedia
"Final Mission" is an episode of the science fiction
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
.
has been admitted into Starfleet Academy
and will need to head to Earth
to begin studies. Before Wes leaves, however, Captain Picard
asks the young ensign if he will join him on a diplomatic mission to Pentarus V.
As they are about to leave aboard a mining shuttle piloted by Captain Dirgo a distress call comes in from the leadership of Gamilon
V. An unidentified vessel has entered their orbit and its presence has increased radiation across the planet to dangerous levels. The Enterprise speeds off to assist, and the shuttle heads to Pentarus V.
On the way, disaster strikes as one of the shuttle's thrusters is blown off. Dirgo acts quickly and the trio crash land on an inhospitable moon. The shuttle is severely damaged, and will no longer fly, and the communications and food replicators are also smashed. Dirgo brags about being a great pilot, but is not very resourceful; he has no emergency supplies. Without any supplies at all, the three look for shelter from the boiling sun and yellow acidic air and eventually they stumble upon a cave.
The Enterprise arrives at Gamilon and discovers the ship in question is an abandoned garbage scow full of radioactive waste
. Using remote modules, the Enterprise crew work on towing the scow away from the planet and through an asteroid field to be dumped in a nearby sun.
Learning that the shuttle has gone missing, the Enterprise crew work more quickly, but have trouble with the remote modules. Riker
orders shields extended around the scow to protect the planet from the radiation and they begin slowly towing the ship with a tractor beam through the asteroid belt.
Wes and the others locate a water fountain, but are not able to go near it as it is protected by a force field. Dirgo foolhardedly tries to phaser through the field, but a mysterious energy sentry appears, tosses away Dirgo's phaser, and causes a rockslide. Picard pushes Wes out of the way, but is bombarded in a hail of rocks.
Captain Picard is badly injured, and Dirgo believes Picard is done for, but Wes tearfully refuses to give up hope. Wes starts studying the energy readings, and concludes the sentry is sensitive to phaser energy. Dirgo arrogantly tells Wesley that he's "wrong", and bullies Wes into the idea that hitting the sentry with two phasers might work. However, the plan fails, and in the process Dirgo gets himself killed.
Meanwhile, the Enterprise finally manages to dispose of the scow and joins the search for the shuttle. In short order, the Enterprise crew locate the shuttle's destroyed thruster and are hot on the trail.
Wes manages to figure out a way to stop the sentry and gets to the water, which he then gives to Picard. The Enterprise arrives and Dr. Crusher and her medical team rescue the two. Dr. Crusher and her son, both in tears, hug. As Picard is carried out of the cave, he tells Wes that he will be missed.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
.
Plot
Word has come that Wesley CrusherWesley Crusher
Wesley Crusher is a character in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is Beverly Crusher's son and is portrayed by actor Wil Wheaton, the character was a regular for the first four seasons. Afterwards, the character appeared sporadically. The character also appeared briefly in...
has been admitted into Starfleet Academy
Starfleet Academy
In the fictional universe of Star Trek, Starfleet Academy is where the future's recruits to Starfleet will be trained. It was created in the year 2161, when the United Federation of Planets was founded...
and will need to head to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
to begin studies. Before Wes leaves, however, Captain Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
asks the young ensign if he will join him on a diplomatic mission to Pentarus V.
As they are about to leave aboard a mining shuttle piloted by Captain Dirgo a distress call comes in from the leadership of Gamilon
Space Battleship Yamato
is a Japanese science fiction anime series featuring an eponymous spacecraft. It is also known to English-speaking audiences as Space Cruiser Yamato; an English-dubbed and heavily edited version of the series was broadcast on North American and Australian television as Star Blazers...
V. An unidentified vessel has entered their orbit and its presence has increased radiation across the planet to dangerous levels. The Enterprise speeds off to assist, and the shuttle heads to Pentarus V.
On the way, disaster strikes as one of the shuttle's thrusters is blown off. Dirgo acts quickly and the trio crash land on an inhospitable moon. The shuttle is severely damaged, and will no longer fly, and the communications and food replicators are also smashed. Dirgo brags about being a great pilot, but is not very resourceful; he has no emergency supplies. Without any supplies at all, the three look for shelter from the boiling sun and yellow acidic air and eventually they stumble upon a cave.
The Enterprise arrives at Gamilon and discovers the ship in question is an abandoned garbage scow full of radioactive waste
Radioactive waste
Radioactive wastes are wastes that contain radioactive material. Radioactive wastes are usually by-products of nuclear power generation and other applications of nuclear fission or nuclear technology, such as research and medicine...
. Using remote modules, the Enterprise crew work on towing the scow away from the planet and through an asteroid field to be dumped in a nearby sun.
Learning that the shuttle has gone missing, the Enterprise crew work more quickly, but have trouble with the remote modules. Riker
William Riker
William Thomas Riker, played by Jonathan Frakes, is a fictional character in the Star Trek universe primarily appearing as a main character in Star Trek: The Next Generation...
orders shields extended around the scow to protect the planet from the radiation and they begin slowly towing the ship with a tractor beam through the asteroid belt.
Wes and the others locate a water fountain, but are not able to go near it as it is protected by a force field. Dirgo foolhardedly tries to phaser through the field, but a mysterious energy sentry appears, tosses away Dirgo's phaser, and causes a rockslide. Picard pushes Wes out of the way, but is bombarded in a hail of rocks.
Captain Picard is badly injured, and Dirgo believes Picard is done for, but Wes tearfully refuses to give up hope. Wes starts studying the energy readings, and concludes the sentry is sensitive to phaser energy. Dirgo arrogantly tells Wesley that he's "wrong", and bullies Wes into the idea that hitting the sentry with two phasers might work. However, the plan fails, and in the process Dirgo gets himself killed.
Meanwhile, the Enterprise finally manages to dispose of the scow and joins the search for the shuttle. In short order, the Enterprise crew locate the shuttle's destroyed thruster and are hot on the trail.
Wes manages to figure out a way to stop the sentry and gets to the water, which he then gives to Picard. The Enterprise arrives and Dr. Crusher and her medical team rescue the two. Dr. Crusher and her son, both in tears, hug. As Picard is carried out of the cave, he tells Wes that he will be missed.