Gambit, Part I (episode)

While investigating Picard's apparent death, Riker is captured by pirates pillaging Romulan archaeological sites.

Teaser
Commander Riker, Dr. Crusher, Counselor Troi and Lt. Worf investigate Captain Picard's whereabouts in a musty bar on Dessica II, describing him as a "smooth-headed" Human. They find Yranac, a Yridian criminal who knows something – after the group promises him safe passage on their starship, he admits to seeing Picard the day before, asking a group of aliens about archaeological artifacts. Beverly's tricorder scans confirm Starfleet fiber traces and Human cellular debris exposed to some kind of high energy field, and faint traces of micro-crystalline damage in the floor material. Yranac continues his story, and explains that a fight broke out and Picard was vaporized by a weapon. Troi empathically confirms that Yranac is telling the truth.

Act One
Most of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) crew accept Picard's death, and plan on attending a memorial service arranged by Troi. However, Riker refuses to attend the service, and is instead focused on finding out who murdered Captain Picard. Admiral Chekote allows Riker to delay a mission to the Argus sector in order to investigate Picard's death, placing the Enterprise on detached duty.

Riker interrogates Yranac, and after threatening to turn him over to the Klingon Empire due to his outstanding warrants, learns that those who killed Picard mentioned the Barradas system. Riker sets course for the system.

Act Two
The crew arrives at the system's only Class M planet, Barradas III, which happens to also be home to a two thousand year-old Debrune archaeological site. Despite the planet being unpopulated, sensors detect energy signals from the surface. After beaming down, the crew discovers that most of the artifacts have been stolen, and the ground has the same micro-crystalline damage that was found on Dessica II. While Riker, Worf, Geordi, and a few ensigns are exploring, a variety of humanoids attack the away team, killing one ensign and beaming off planet with a captured Commander Riker.

Act Three
Riker is taken aboard the mercenary ship, which is commanded by Arctus Baran. Riker finds that a neural servo has been implanted within his body which allows Baran to inflict pain on him. Everyone on the ship has similar devices implanted in their bodies, which is how Baran controls his crew. As the crew argues over the ramifications of having a Starfleet officer onboard, a "smooth-headed" crew member demands that Riker be killed immediately. As he turns, Riker sees that it is Picard.

Act Four
Riker discovers that Picard is posing as a thief named Galen. Picard tells the crew that he is familiar with Riker – he is a Starfleet officer with a history of insubordination who was once even relieved of duty due to a "Cardassian incident at Minos Korva." Riker plays along, acting the part that Picard is describing. Picard then secretly manufactures an intermix chamber malfunction, giving Riker a chance to fix the malfunction and prove himself to Baran.

Later, Picard visits Riker in his quarters and reveals that he went to study an archeological site only to find that it had been ransacked. Tracing those responsible to a bar, Picard confronted them, but was captured and taken prisoner. Picard explains that the criminals have configured some of their weapons so that if they shot someone or something, it activates the transporter and beams them away - which is why the people in the bar thought he'd been vaporized when shot. Picard reveals that they are looking for specific ancient artifacts of Romulan origin, and that Baran is having Picard search through the relics they've stolen for these specific artifacts.

Picard asks Riker to help him infiltrate the crew of the mercenary ship. As Picard and Baran had never gotten along very well, Picard asks Riker to befriend Baran to help learn more about his plans. Picard also asks Riker to play into the role of a less than perfect, insubordinate Starfleet officer who is ready to betray the Federation.

Act Five
The mercenaries travel to Calder II in order to obtain more artifacts from a Sakethan burial mound, despite the fact that the planet is also home to a Federation science station. Picard convinces Baran to use Riker to gain access to the planet in order to avoid a battle. However, Riker is unable to convince the outpost's Lt. Sanders to drop their deflector shield without proper authorization from the Federation Science Council. Before Baran can order the outpost destroyed, Picard configures the disruptors to fire a phase-resonant pulse at the precise frequency to disable the outpost's shields with one shot. With the shields down, the mercenaries begin beaming the artifacts from the planet, getting all but two before the outpost re-raises their shields. Just as Baran orders the outpost destroyed, their ship is hit by phaser fire from the just-arrived Enterprise.

Baran threatens to kill Riker unless he orders the Enterprise to retreat. Riker hails the ship and orders Acting Captain Data to disengage. Then, Riker attempts to use his access codes to bring down the Enterprise's shields, knowing that his codes would have been changed upon his capture. Data understands the ruse, and drops the shields. As soon as the shields drop, Picard opens fire, and a disrupter blast strikes the Enterprise's starboard warp nacelle.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Memorable Quotes
"My friend tells me you know something about the man we're looking for."

"The only reason I'm talking to you is that I have a sister too."

[Riker looks questioningly at Worf]

"I explained to him that we are looking for a man who impregnated your sister."

[Riker nods]

"So you can imagine how much this means to me."


 * - Riker, Yranac and Worf

"I think you've had a little too much to drink. You better leave. On your way, Yranac."

[Crusher pulls a phaser on the bartender]

''"I'm sorry, but I think he wants to stay. Sit down.'"

"That's my sister. She's angry. She's got a vicious temper. I wouldn't cross her."


 * - The alien bartender, Crusher and Riker

"I have an open wound. Right here, it hurts like hell. I don't want it to get better, and I don't want to pretend that everything's alright."

"I know you're angry..."

"You're damned right! And I intend to stay angry until I find whoever's responsible for the captain's death."

"Well that's pretty selfish of you! Do you think you're the only one in pain?! Do you think you have the monopoly on loss?! Well let me tell you something: we're all hurting! And we're all angry, and whether you like it or not, you have a responsibility to this crew! And you can't just indulge your personal desire for revenge!"

"That is enough, counselor!"


 * - Riker and Troi mourn the captain

Story and script

 * "Gambit" grew out of a spec script submitted by Christopher Hatton back in the sixth season. The story broke one of Gene Roddenberry's long-standing Star Trek taboos – specifically, that there would be no such thing as space pirates. Although initially skeptical, Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor later returned to Hatton's story as it provided an opportunity for a "less talky romp". Rick Berman, aware of the taboo but willing to consider the proposal, tied a red bandanna around the bust of Gene Roddenberry on his desk while discussing the story. He explained, "I just blindfolded it as a joke one day. Whenever they come up with a story I don't think Gene would like I blindfold him when we discuss the story...I take it on and off, depending on who's in here." (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
 * Hatton's original script followed Picard's point of view and did not involve Riker. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion) Hatton would provide the story to another episode this season,.
 * Naren Shankar observed, "We say we'll never do the 'rodeo' show and comes along." Shankar was unsure whether the story would work expanded into two parts. "To me, it's one of the classic television problems: if you start off the show by saying the captain's dead, no one's buying it...and you're just marking time until the captain's revealed." (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
 * Shankar's original idea for the Vulcan Isolationist Movement involved them planning to literally phase Vulcan out of the universe to avoid cultural contamination from other species. "Everyone was afraid it was going to be like a episode. The notion was to dimensionally shift the planet so you couldn't get to them. In that sense, it would be pure isolation. I still think that's a cool idea. Nobody else does, however." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages)
 * Brannon Braga was one of the story's opponents. "When the story was purchased, I was not attracted to the campy, swashbuckling elements and was afraid it would just look very corny. I don't think we do campiness very well – especially in the way we tried to do it with 'Gambit.' It came off like and why do that? Is that good? We try many different mediums. I was curious as to why we were involving ourselves in a medium that is not usually a respected one." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages)

Production

 * The bridge of Arctus Baran's ship is a massive redress of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) battle bridge, with the most notable elements remaining from the original set being the viewscreen and the ceiling. Also, the chairs on the command center were taken from the bridge of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) from and.
 * This episode contains the longest phaser fight shown on screen, with over seventy shots. According to the Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion, all explosions were done in post-production due to a fire season ban on live explosives on location at Griffith Park's Cedar Grove. Likewise, all damage stains on rocks were done digitally.
 * The large "vest" worn by the alien bartender on Dessica II was later reused as Maquis fatigues worn by Ayala in the Star Trek: Voyager episodes and.
 * First UK airdate: 31 January 1996

Cast

 * On casting Richard Lynch as Arctus Baran, Jeri Taylor commented, "Richard was simply the best person who read for the part. Peter Lauritson who directed the first episode, knew his work, liked him, and really wanted him. It's always a problem to find worthy adversaries for Picard. You need an actor who has the power, stature, and presence to go toe to toe with him and if you don't have that, you don't have an episode. Richard brought all of this and for his campiness and the sort of stereotypical things he has done, he has that undeniable power and I thought it was a good trade." (Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages)
 * Robin Curtis (Tallera) previously played Lieutenant Saavik in and.
 * Sabrina LeBeauf (Ensign Giusti) is best known for her role as Sondra Huxtable in The Cosby Show. Her character was named for a friend of Naren Shankar. (Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion)
 * Bruce Gray previously played Chekote in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode, which aired only six days before this one (it originally aired on October 3, 1993).
 * Caitlin Brown previously played Ty Kajada in.

Video and DVD releases

 * UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 78, .
 * In feature-length form, as part of the UK VHS release Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Full Length TV Movies: Volume 9, catalogue number VHR 4109,.
 * As part of the US video collection Star Trek - The Greatest Battles:.
 * As part of the UK video collection Star Trek - Greatest Battles:.
 * As part of the TNG Season 7 DVD collection.
 * In feature-length form, as part of the Star Trek: The Next Generation - The Complete TV Movies collection.

Starring

 * Patrick Stewart as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
 * Jonathan Frakes as Cmdr. William T. Riker

Also starring

 * LeVar Burton as Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
 * Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Worf
 * Gates McFadden as Dr. Beverly Crusher
 * Marina Sirtis as Counselor Deanna Troi
 * Brent Spiner as Lt. Commander Data

Guest stars

 * Richard Lynch as Arctus Baran
 * Robin Curtis as Tallera
 * Caitlin Brown as Vekor
 * Cameron Thor as Narik
 * Alan Altshuld as Yranac
 * Bruce Gray as Chekote

Co-stars

 * Sabrina LeBeauf as Ensign Giusti
 * Stephen Lee as Bartender
 * Derek Webster as Lt. Sanders

Uncredited co-stars

 * Lena Banks as operations division ensign
 * Cameron as Kellogg
 * Eugenie Bondurant as female marauder
 * Goldie Ann Gareza as command division officer
 * Kerry Hoyt as operations division ensign
 * Michael Moorehead as science division ensign
 * Keith Rayve as command division ensign
 * Lincoln Simonds as operations division officer
 * M. Smith as Human marauder
 * Unknown performers as
 * Baran's mercenary vessel computer voice
 * Boslic woman
 * Command division ensign (voice)
 * Member of Kolos' species
 * Nausicaan
 * Three bar patrons
 * Transporter chief (voice)
 * Tygarian
 * Wrinkled alien

Stunt double

 * Mark Riccardi as stunt double for Jonathan Frakes

Stand-ins

 * David Keith Anderson - stand-in for LeVar Burton
 * Carl David Burks - stand-in for Brent Spiner and Richard Lynch
 * Michael Echols - stand-in for Michael Dorn
 * Nora Leonhardt - stand-in for Marina Sirtis and Robin Curtis
 * Lorine Mendell - stand-in for Gates McFadden and Caitlin Brown
 * Richard Sarstedt - stand-in for Jonathan Frakes
 * Dennis Tracy - stand-in for Patrick Stewart