The High Ground 

While visiting a planet under civil war, Dr. Crusher is taken hostage by an opposing faction of the planet's ruling government.

Director:

Gabrielle Beaumont

Writers:

Gene Roddenberry (created by), Melinda M. Snodgrass

Stars:

Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Patrick Stewart	...	Capt. Jean-Luc Picard
Jonathan Frakes	...	Cmdr. William Riker
LeVar Burton	...	Lt. Cmdr. Geordi La Forge
Michael Dorn	...	Lt. Worf
Gates McFadden	...	Dr. Beverly Crusher
Marina Sirtis	...	Counselor Deanna Troi
Brent Spiner	...	Lt. Cmdr. Data
Wil Wheaton	...	Wesley Crusher
Kerrie Keane	...	Alexana Devos
Richard Cox	...	Kyril Finn
Marc Buckland	...	Waiter
Fred G. Smith	...	Policeman
Christopher Pettiet	...	Boy

Storyline

When most away-teams are visiting the Ruthian planet under civil war since 70 years between two continents, Dr. Crusher is taken hostage while attending local wounded by an Ensata (western continent) autonomist faction of the ruling government which uses terrorist techniques such as bomb attacks. Her son Wesley Crusher is assigned to Lieutenant Worf's technology team, and spots radiation traces indicating the use of life-threatening dimension shift techniques abandoned by Federation research because of the health toll, which fit perfectly the Ruthian government's nightmare, 'inverters' used by the Ensata revolt to dodge all scans. Her keeper Kyril Finn, the Ensata leader, shows the great need for medical aid their side is not getting from the Federation, alas the inverter causes DNA warping she can't treat, and explains how he hopes to make the Federation end the bloody conflict at last. Discussions and attacks go on...

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Plot Keywords:

female police officer | dimensional jump | woman abducted | terrorist | bomb | 

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

This takes place in 2366.

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Goofs

The away team that beams into the terrorists' underground lair to rescue Capt. Picard and Dr. Crusher is led by Cmdr. Riker. With Picard taken hostage by the terrorists, Riker is in effective command of the ship. As such, his position is on the bridge and not heading an away mission. (This point would be made clear in Star Trek: The Next Generation: The Best of Both Worlds, when Riker tries to take command of the away mission to rescue Picard from the Borg and Counselor Troi reminds him that his duty is on the bridge.)

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Quotes

Kyril Finn: Captain, the Federation has a lot to admire in it. But there's a hint of moral cowardice in your dealings with non-aligned planets. You're doing business with a government that is crushing us, and you say you're not involved? You're very, very much involved. You just don't wanna get dirty.

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Soundtracks

Star Trek: The Next Generation End Credits
Composed by Jerry Goldsmith and Alexander Courage

User Reviews

The wars of Ruthia

On a visit to Ruthia it's Dr. Beverly Crusher is taken captive by separatists who want a whole different nation on the eastern continent. Those forces are led by Richard Cox and Gates McFadden's skills are needed for their wounded.

But it isn't just battle wounds they're concerned with. In order to achieve surprise the separatists have some kind of jaunting technique which allows them to spring up and materialize almost undetected. Imagine if the Palestinians or the IRA ever got a hold of that.

In fact this episode is taken from the IRA and British struggles. Cox is a charismatic insurgent leader and Kerrie Keane is a Margaret Thatcher like prime minister.

Those jaunting techniques involving radiation is also deleterious to the health of one using them. The effects are cumulative and the Federation discovered them and abandoned them centuries ago. More than one doctor even Beverly Crusher can deal with.

Is it a hopeful end or will the wars keep going? Be your own judge when you see this TNG story.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 January 1990 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Stage 9, Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

45 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1