Vacation plans are suddenly thwarted when Wesley Crusher, playing with the Edo children, innocently violates a planet law and is sentenced to death. At the same time, the crew is confronted by a mysterious vessel that appears to be existing in two dimensions simultaneously. The vessel, protesting the installation of Earth colonists in the Strnad Solar System, startles the crew by sending a powerful light object that enters Data's mind and renders him unconscious.

In order to determine the origins of the vessel, Captain Picard beams down to Edo and negotiates to save Wesley's life for a few more hours and asks for Edo assistance in determining the origins of the mysterious vessel.

Beaming aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise with Rivan, a knowledgeable Edo woman, the Captain soon learns the Edo consider the vessel as "God." To make matters worse, it is learned that the inhabitants of this powerful object are observing the crew's morals and preparing to pass judgment.

Picard returns to Rubicun III and despite Edo objections and the Federation's prime directive, beams Wesley and the crew back to the U.S.S. Enterprise. Preparing to face the wrath of the mysterious vessel for violating Edo customs, Picard and crew are pleasantly surprised that the judgment passed on the starship is favorable. The alien vessel fades away.

Stardates

After the random stardates in the original "Star Trek", the powers that be decided on a more logical way to determine a stardate. Thus, the following came about.

EXAMPLE: "Captain's Log: Stardate 45076.3"

The "4" represents that the series takes place in the 24th century, according to an original writer's guide, although Deep Space Nine may change that. It also has been noted that 1000 stardates pass with every year. The "5" represents the season number of TNG without exception. The "076" represents the portion of a season that advances during TNG. The ".3" represents a portion of a day thereof.