Lwaxana Troi suffers a breakdown and lapses into a coma while the Enterprise hosts a delegation of telepathic aliens, the Cairn. Deanna enters her mind telepathically with the aid of Maques, one of the aliens.

Majel Barrett (Lwaxana Troi)
Norman Large (Maques)
Kirsten Dunst (Hedril)
Amick Byram (Lt. Ian Andrew Troi)
Andreana Weiner (Kestra Troi)

• The Cairn are a telepathic race which communicates through images. Vocal speech is new to the Cairn. Lwaxana learned their form of telepathy and is teaching them vocal communication so that they can meet with the Federation Council regarding entry into the UFP.
  
• We learn that Deanna had a sister, Kestra, who drowned at the age of 6. Deanna was just a few months old.
  
• This episode continues this season's theme of family. In this episode we see not only Lwaxana Troi, but we finally see her father as well as her sister.
  
• Kirsten Dunst later starred in Interview with the Vampire.