The Enterprise responds to a distress call from Nikolai Rozhenko, Worf's foster brother, who is stationed as a cultural observer on Boraal Two, a planet whose atmosphere is rapidly self-destructing due to severe plasmonic reactions. Nikolai proposes a plan to save at least some of the Boraalans. Picard refuses on the grounds that any effort to help would violate the Prime Directive. Nikolai illegally beams them into the Holodeck, forcing Picard to locate them to another planet without their knowledge.

Paul Sorvino (Dr. Nikolai Rozhenko)
Penny Johnson (Dobara)
Brian Markinson (Vorin)
Edward Penn (Kateras)
Susan Christy (Tarrana)
Joyce Robinson (Ensign Gates)

• The Enterprise relocates the Boraalans from Boraal II to Vacca IV.
  
• Dobara is pregnant with Nikolai's child.
  
• After accidentally leaving the holodeck and faced with returning to his people after what he has seen, Vorin kills himself.
  
• Penny Johnson went on to play Kassidy Yates on Deep Space Nine.