The
USS Enterprise arrives for
shore leave at the paradisiacal, newly discovered planet of Rubicun III. A small advance party from the ship are sent down to meet with the Edo, the native people of the planet. Captain
Jean-Luc Picard (
Patrick Stewart) sends
Wesley Crusher (
Wil Wheaton) as part of the away team to evaluate the planet on behalf of the young people on board the
Enterprise. Upon their arrival, they are greeted by Rivan (
Brenda Bakke) and Liator (Jay Louden) in a very comfortable way, prompting Lt.
Worf (
Michael Dorn) to determine it a "nice planet", while Wesley leaves the adults to socialize with native teenagers. On the Enterprise, Lt. Commander
Data (
Brent Spiner) reports something unusual orbiting the planet, but nothing appears on the viewscreen. He sends out a communications signal which reveals another vessel in orbit. A small ball of light enters the bridge and communicates with Picard in a booming voice, warning him not to interfere with the Edo, calling them his "children". The intruder then incapacitates Data. On Rubicun III, the Edo explain to Lt.
Tasha Yar (
Denise Crosby) and
Worf that
capital punishment is used to enforce their laws. The away team rush to warn Wesley, only to discover he has accidentally broken a
greenhouse while playing
catch with the Edo youths. An Edo mediator, or policeman, attempts to give Wesley a
lethal injection for this infraction of the law, but Yar and Worf draw their
phasers. On the ship, the sphere leaves Data's body and departs. Picard, upon hearing of the situation with Wesley,
transports to the surface. He meets with representatives of the Edo in a council chamber and explains that Earth no longer practices capital punishment. Some Edo interpret this stance as an attempt by the Federation to push their superiority and suggest that Picard should mount a rescue effort for the boy. He says he cannot, quoting the
Prime Directive. Picard asks about the mysterious vessel in orbit and discovers that the Edo worship it as a god. He returns to his ship with Rivan and Counsellor
Deanna Troi (
Marina Sirtis). Rivan sees the strange ship from orbit and confirms it is the Edo's god. She is transported back to the surface when the ship threatens the
Enterprise for taking her away from the planet, and that the captain and the rest of the ship must now share Wesley's fate according to the Edo code. Data reveals that, while he was in communication with the entity, it will protect the Edo as if they were its children. After considering their options, Picard returns to the planet's surface and announces that he is willing to risk the wrath of the entity. He orders the transportation of Wesley to the
Enterprise, but the entity disables the transporters and again threatens to destroy the rest of the ship. Picard has had enough, and pleads with the Edo god that laws must allow for exceptions to ensure justice, and after this statement the transporters go back online, allowing the away team to return. Upon leaving the planet, Picard communicates with the entity to inform it that they are leaving and that they will remove recently placed colonists at a nearby star system under the entity's claimed jurisdiction, if the entity expresses so. However, the final offer was refused as the entity informs Picard to steer clear of the Edo before disappearing. Picard regrets they did not communicate more, and the
Enterprise departs. ==Production==