The Ensigns of Command

"The Ensigns of Command" is a third season Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. It originally aired on October 2, 1989. The Enterprise crew receives an automated message from the enigmatic Sheliak: Remove the humans on Tau Cygni V in four days. However, this is not a simple warning or directive - the Sheliak are a non-humanoid species with little regard for human life, and would exterminate any humans found in their path. In fact, only due to ... more

"The Ensigns of Command" is a third season Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. It originally aired on October 2, 1989. The Enterprise crew receives an automated message from the enigmatic Sheliak: Remove the humans on Tau Cygni V in four days. However, this is not a simple warning or directive - the Sheliak are a non-humanoid species with little regard for human life, and would exterminate any humans found in their path. In fact, only due to a treaty with the Federation did they feel compelled to notify their intention to colonize before taking further action. There is no record of a Federation colony ship being sent there as it contains levels of hyperonic radiation lethal to humans, which doesn't explain why the Sheliak indicate otherwise. The Enterprise arrives in the system to find what looks to be a small colony on the surface. Lt. Cmdr. Data, the only crewmember unaffected, takes a shuttlecraft down to the planet to coordinate the evacuation. Once he arrives, he finds that... less