Home Soil (20 Feb. 1988)

On Velara III, Geordi and Data discover a microscopic life form responsible for the death of an engineer stationed on the base.

Director:

Corey Allen

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (creator), Robert Sabaroff (teleplay),

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton

Cast

Episode credited cast:
Patrick Stewart	...	Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Commander William T. Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lieutenant Geordi La Forge
Denise Crosby	...	Lieutenant Tasha Yar
Michael Dorn	...	Lieutenant Worf
Gates McFadden	...	Doctor Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Commander Data
Wil Wheaton	...	Wesley Crusher
Walter Gotell	...	Kurt Mandl
Elizabeth Lindsey	...	Louisa Kim
Gerard Prendergast	...	Bjorn Benson
Mario Roccuzzo	...	Arthur Malencon
Carolyne Barry	...	Female Engineer
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wyatt Knight	...	Technician #2

Storyline

The Enterprise visits a team of scientists and engineers terraforming on Velara III. The team's leader, Kurt Mandl, isn't very welcoming stating that they are very busy but Picard insists with Riker, Data and Geordie beaming down to the planet. Velara III was selected because of its complete absence of any life forms and the terraforming initiative takes about 30 years. The team is now in the process of removing salts from the natural water supply as the first step in creating a sustainable environment. Geordie and Data come across a non-carbon based object that glows and give the appearance of life. When it attempts to communicate with the crew, it is obvious they have encountered a life form like no other.

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Plot Keywords:

24th century | speaking klingon

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi

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Details

Release Date:

20 February 1988 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Inorganic Life-form (voice): Ugly giant bags of mostly water.
[alien's description of humans]

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Connections

References Star Trek: The Devil in the Dark (1967)

User Reviews

Visionaries

The Enterprise visits Valera 3 and is somewhat surprised at it's abrupt, curt welcome from it's Colonists. Several of them appear nervous and a little closed. A laser drill malfunctions and attacks Data! Eventually a life form is discovered to be responsible and it is in the sub surface of the planet. It is transported to the Enterprise where it discovered to be intelligent. Eventually taking control of the Enterprise computer! Worf growls 'What do you expect, it is a computer!' This is episode is a homage to the Star Trek episode 'Devil In The Dark'. The life form is eventually reasoned with and an agreement is reached. It's control of the ship is released and it is returned to the planet and the Colonists leave