Trekipedia

Grounded

Infected by a dangerous alien life form, the U.S.S. Enterprise is scheduled for destruction…

• Stardate 45223.4
• Released March 1993

While answering a distress call from a scientific station in a remote part of the galaxy, the U.S.S. Enterprise becomes infected with a mysterious alien life form which feeds on and transforms inorganic materials.

The starship begins to gradually disintegrate, and Starfleet is forced to order its evacuation and destruction to prevent the dangerous infection from spreading throughout the galaxy. It’s the end of an era for Captain Picard and his crew, who are scheduled for transfers that will split them up among different Starfleet vessels.

But even as the end draws near for the Starship Enterpirse, Captain Picard begins to formulate a desperate plan to save his ship and preserve his crew—a plan that will force him to defy Starfleet orders and lead him to a confrontation with a malevolent alien force which has the power to destroy the entire Federation.

Written by: David Bischoff

Cast:

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard
• Commander William T. Riker
• Dr. Beverly Crusher
• Counselor Deanna Troi
• Lieutenant Commander Data
• Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
• Lieutenant Worf

Guest Cast:

• Ensign Ro Laren

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Excerpt

“With all due respect, sir,” said Riker, “we’ve been sitting here all afternoon waiting for your reports.”

“We know it’s incredible,” said Geordi.

“What we’d like to know is what we can do about it!” Beverly chimed in.

“Admiral, please forgive my crew,” said Captain Picard. “But you can understand their—our—impatience. Especially since you’ve taken the matter out of our hands.”

“Captain Picard, I’ll not mince words,” Admiral Davies cleared his throat and assumed a deeper, stentorian tone. “By the power vested in me by the Federation I find the U.S.S. Enterprise is a total loss. And as I have been advised by my science officers that its very presence here at Starbase 210 is a danger, I am ordering that it be towed by tractor beam out to a safe portion of space . . . where it shall be destroyed by photon torpedoes.”