While investigating the disappearance of the U.S.S. Drake, the Enterprise and crew fight a sequence of machines on Minos, a computerized weapons planet.

Marco Rodriguez (Capt. Paul Rice)
Vincent Schiavelli (The Salesman)
Vyto Ruginis (Chief Engineer Lt. Logan)
Julia Nickson (Ensign Lian T'Su)
George De La Peña (Lt. Orfil Solis)

• Commander Riker was offered command of the U.S.S. Drake NCC-20381, but turned it down to serve as first officer on the Enterprise.
  
• La Forge is in command of the Enterprise while Riker and Picard are on the planet. When the ship falls under attack from orbit, Geordi separates the ship, with Lt. Logan commanding the saucer and Geordi commanding the battle bridge.
  
• Lt. Logan is now Chief Engineer, replacing Lt. Cmdr. Argyle. Logan complains that Geordi won't leave orbit. When he does, he complains that they're leaving the away team behind. (You just can't please some people...)
  
• When Picard deactivated the program (to buy it), the machine chasing Yar and Riker disappeared, but the one in orbit did not.