USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)

The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D), sometimes referred to as the Enterprise-D or NCC-1701-Delta, was a Federation explorer starship in service to Starfleet in the 24th century. Under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the Enterprise served as the Starfleet flagship for seven years. In 2371, the Enterprise was destroyed in a military engagement over Veridian III. Due to her storied career, the Enterprise secured a place as a famous starship in Federation history. 

Construction
The Enterprise was commissioned in 2363. The ship was built in the Sol system at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards in orbit over Mars, the vessel's warp drive was designed by Dr Leah Brahms with Commander Orfil Quinteros supervising the overall construction. While under construction the starship's warp nacelle was the site of multiple murders which were not discovered until 2370. 

The Enterprise transferred to Earth Station McKinley for final systems completion and shakedown, there on stardate 41153.7 Captain Jean-Luc Picard took command of the ship at the order of Rear Admiral Norah Satie. 


 * The Star Trek The Expanded Universe RPG book All Our Yesterdays states that the ship was launched under Picard's command in 2363.

2364
Following her 2364 launch, the Enterprise proceeded via Starbase 52 to Farpoint Station to pick up the rest of the crew. En-route, the omnipotent being Q made first contact with the vessel and challenged the crew to prove their worth in being so deep into space by solving the mystery of Farpoint, the crew succeeded in discovering the station was in fact an alien lifeform which they promptly freed. 

Just as the Enterprise departed, a Borg sphere arrived through a temporal gateway from 2376 during the Battle of Unimatrix 01. The sphere prepared to attack, but was destroyed by the newly-arrived USS Premonition. The Premonition departed immediately to prevent further damage to the timeline. Captain Picard remembered this encounter for 12 years.

Following the Farpoint incident the Enterprise embarked on its mission to explore strange new worlds and seek out new life and new civilizations. During its first year the Enterprise was transported a billion light years from the Milky Way Galaxy by an alien known as the Traveler. 

Later that year the Enterprise made official first contact with the Ferengi, and later was hijacked by a group of Bynars who took the starship to there homeworld to use the starship’s large computer core to backup their planetary computer. 

On stardate 41590.8 the Enterprise visited, under the invitation of Chancellor Lomac, unfortunately Lomac was knocked from power shortly after the Enterprise arrived and the new administration was less happy to have the Federation visit the planet so fired a gravimetric pulse at the Enterprise. The pulse generated a gravimetric wave which pushed the Enterprise across the galaxy at high velocities. The Enterprise was only able to break free and return to Tigan to rescue its away team by using the slingshot effect to jump back in time and re-enter orbit before they could be fired on. 

Before the end of the year the Enterprise returned to Earth to thwart an alien conspiracy to take control of Starfleet HQ. Following this successful mission the Enterprise made its way to the Romulan Neutral Zone to investigate the destruction of several Federation outposts, initially their destruction was assumed to be the work of the Romulans however after making contact with the Romulans for the first time in 53 years they discovered both sides installations had been attacked. These incidents were later found to be the work of the Borg

2365
On stardate 42317.1, the Enterprise was sent to The Armada, on the Maltese asteroid belt, to investigate a series of crop failures which threatened the food supply to the surrounding sector. 

Later, the Enterprise transported Ambassador Fenton Lewis to the planet, Lorca, to stop a Ferengi takeover of the planet. An away team led by Captain Picard was lost, and a second one, led by Commander Riker, was sent down to the planet. Lieutenant Geordi La Forge was placed in command of the Enterprise. Both away teams were successful in their missions and the Ferengi left the planet. 

Also in this year the Enterprise with the USS Yamato (NCC-71807) discovered the Iconian homeworld and destroyed an Iconian Gateway - to prevent the technology falling into the hands of the Romulans. However, by far the most notable event of the year was offical first contact with the Borg, courtesy of Q

2366
Towards the end of 2366 the Borg returned to Federation space and the Enterprise was dispatched to try and hold of their vessel while Starfleet mustered its forces at Wolf 359. In an apparent stroke of fortune the Borg seemed fixated in pursuing the Enterprise so that they might achieve their goal of assimilating Captain Picard. For some time the Enterprise was able to hide from the Borg in the Paulson Nebula however the Borg eventually drove the ship out using magnetometric guided charges. Soon there after the Borg succeeded in capturing Picard and assimilating him, giving him the designation Locutus.

The crew of the Enterprise attempted to stop the Borg by modifying their starship's deflector dish to fire a high energy pulse. Unfortunately, Picard was aware of this plan and the Borg had already adapted. As the Enterprise fell behind, the Cube (endowed with Picard's knowledge of Starfeet defenses) proceeded to Earth, easily defeating the fleet of thirty nine Starfleet vessels awaiting them.

The Enterprise was eventually able to catch up with the Cube and rescue Picard. Using his link to the collective they were able to destroy the Cube. 

2367
Following the battles with the Borg, the Enterprise returned to Earth Station McKinley for refit and repairs while the crew took some much deserved shore leave in early 2367. On stardate 44429.6, following a brief engagement with the Cardassian ship  the Enterprise worked with the Gul of that ship; Akellen Macet, to track down a rogue Federation starship the USS Phoenix (NCC-65420) which had been attacking Cardassian vessels. 

Later that year, on stardate 44614.6, while Dr Leah Brahms visited the ship, the Enterprise became the temporary adopted mother of a space-borne lifeform. 

Towards the end of the year the Enterprise led an armada of ships to create a tachyon detection grid to prevent cloaked Romulan ships delivering supplies to factions in the Klingon civil war. 

2368
On stardate 45156.1 the Enterprise collided with a quantum filament resulting in severe damage and a loss of all power, fortunately the crew were able to restore power before antimatter containment was lost - which would have destroyed the ship. 

On stardate 45208.2 the crew of the Enterprise fell victim to a Ktarian mind controlling game and almost handed the ship over to Ktarian control, fortunately through the efforts of Lieutenant Commander Data, Ensign Robin Lefler and Wesley Crusher the Ktarian plan was thwarted. 

In mid-2368 the Enterprise was shortly captured by Romulans from the experimental warbird IRW Syrinx. The Romulans took the Enterprise to the quarantined world Hermeticus II, where the crew rediscovered the USS Independence, which was lost 30 years earlier. Hermeticus II was revealed being a starship inhabited by the Ambimorph, who saved the crew of the Enterprise and destroyed the Romulan ship. (TNG novel: "The Romulan Prize")

On stardate 45494.2, the Satarrans also attempted to take control of the Enterprise with somewhat more success, using the Enterprise to destroy a Lysian destroyer before the crew of the Enterprise, whom the Satarran agent on board had induced a state of amnesia in, regained their memories and retook control of the ship. 

Towards the end of the year, on stardate 45959.1, the Enterprise once more returned to Earth, to investigate the discovery of a duplicate head of Lieutenant Commander Data. 

2369
Early in the year 2369, the Enterprise was charged with transporting Kommandant Ghud to trial on the planet Wyath. Due to strict rules in Wyath law on the timing of trials Ghud had to arrive in a tight schedule, so when the shuttlecraft  failed to make its rendezvous with the Enterprise the starship had to continue onto Wyath regardless. Fortunately Ghud volunteered his engineering expertise to help find the shuttle; devising a system which triangulated the sensors of the Enterprise, Starbase 172 and the sensor array on Wyath to pinpoint the unique materials the shuttle crew had in their possession - Worf's baldric, Ro Laren's earring and Geordi La Forge's VISOR. Upon detecting the shuttle, Commander Riker was dispatched in another shuttle to retrieve the away team, while the Enterprise continued on schedule for Wyath. On stardate 46125.3 the Enterprise tracked a distress call from the USS Jenolen, to find the crashed ship on the outside of a Dyson sphere. Their the crew rescued Captain Montgomery Scott, suspended in the transporter beam for the previous 75 years. 

On stardate 46357.4, Edward Jellico temporarily took command of the Enterprise while Captain Picard conducted a covert mission to Celtris III. 

On stardate 46379.1, the Enterprise delivered crew and a complement of runabouts to the newly re-christened starbase Deep Space 9. Later that year on stardate 46578.4 the Enterprise returned to DS9. 

On stardate 46682.4 the Enterprise travelled to Arkaria to undergo a Baryon sweep in the Remmler Array. 

2370
On stardate 47111.1 the Enterprise was sent to intercept a Garidian Scoutship, which was about to cross the Neutral Zone. The Enterprise arrived just in time to save a group of Garidian fugitives who were escaping the Garidian government and were pursuit by the Garidian Warbird Asiram. Captain Jean-Luc Picard answered their request for asylum, and convinced the Garidian captain named Pentara, who was the mother of one of the fugitives, to return into Garidian territory.

Soon after that the Enterprise received a distress call from Mertens Orbital Research Station orbiting Cymkoe IV. The Enterprise arrived in time to save the station from a power core breach and faced its attacker, a mysterious probe with would later be discovered as Chodak technology.

After the incident at Cymkoe IV Admiral Reddreck ordered the Enterprise to Morassia to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a Federation Scientist Dr. Vi Hyunh-Foertsch. The crew managed to reveal illegal activities of one of the planet's inhabitants. Furthermore they managed to get a trace on the Garidian fugitives' trail for the Fifth Scroll an ancient artifact that could change Garidian politics forever.

The Enterprise discovered the Fifth Scroll on Frigis, after discovering a colony of Garidian descendants of the Followers of the Lawgiver. Shortly after the Garidians left the Enterprise to return home with the artifact a Romulan fleet entered Federation space attacking several outposts and apparently heading towards the Z'Tarnis Nebula. The Enterprise encountered several Romulan Warbirds and engaged at least one ship after responding a distress call from the USS Ayers.

Starfleet Command ordered the Enterprise to investigate the Romulan invasion. The crew discovered that the Romulans were looking for an ancient Chodak weapon, known as the Unity Device, which they believed was hidden in the Z'Tarnis Nebula.

After the first wave of the Romulan invasion, another hostile force crossed the Neutral Zone once more destroying Federation outposts. The Enterprise intercepted one of the alien ships and discovered that the Chodak were behind the second attack.



First Contact with the Chodak was established on their former homeworld Allanor, where Captain Picard was able to locate the position of the Unity Device. The Enterprise arrived in the Z'Tarnis Nebula to make sure the ancient weapon would not fall into wrong hands. Soon after that Captain Picard was able to send the Unity Device into another dimension. 

While on patrol, the Enterprise-D was contacted by Montgomery Scott aboard the Goddard, who requested access to their library computer. While aboard in guest quarters, Scott accessed logs from the original Enterprise crew, including Spock's calculations for time travel aboard a Klingon bird-of-prey. After departing the Enterprise under false authorization, Scott's vessel, nicknamed the Bounty 2 utilized the Arhennius star to slingshot back in time, with the Enterprise following, where they discovered an alternate timeline, mistakenly caused by Scott when he rescued James T. Kirk from the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-B) before he was drawn into the Nexus.

The Enterprise met the D'Zidran, commanded by that timeline's Tal who was advised by Guinan. The D'Zidran put out an Alliance fleet-wide alert and located Scott and Kirk aboard the Wisdom, under the watch of Supreme Arbiter of the Alliance Sarek. The Enterprise was able to avoid the threat of the Borg Collective, who now controlled much of the Alpha Quadrant including the Sol system, and with the assistance of Guinan, determined that they needed to return Kirk to the Nexus. The Enterprise transported Kirk back moments before a fleet of Borg cubes destroyed the Enterprise, but the timeline corrected itself and everyone awoke back in the normal flow of space-time without knowledge of the events in the alternate timeline. 

On stardate 47310.2. Enterprise issues a warp embargo throughout Starfleet and other governments, based on findings by Hekaran astrophysicists. This resulted in a local velocity limit of warp factor 5, bringing daily spacefaring and commute somewhat back to the 22nd century; major starship redesigns were made, including the vessels. For this reason and rifts generated in areas of space, "environmentally friendly" provisions were made. For example, the Enterprise-D, in the following year, before her loss, reduced power output while orbiting Amargosa. Internal shipboard lights were lowered or altogether deactivated, allowing solar light to shine through decks with the windows, reflected from the nearby observatory. 

On stardate 47457.1, the Enterprise was sent to the Devolin system to try and recovered the wreckage of the USS Pegasus (NCC-53847) before the Romulans succeed in achieving the same goal. Racing against the IRW Terix the Enterprise located the Pegasus but was forced to use an illegal prototype interphasic cloaking device the Pegasus had been the test bed for to escape an asteroid the Enterprise had been trapped in. 

On stardate 47630.1 the Enterprise was assigned to map the Bandor system which had recently fallen under Federation jurisdiction. In that remote location it was attacked by an unidentified hybrid starship, made from Federation, Romulan and Borg components, in the first attack the ship took out the Enterprise's warp and impulse engines and reduced shields to twenty-four percent, as well as causing crew injuries, near fatal ones to Councilor Troi. The attacker then departed for a short time. When it returned Troi had recovered enough to warn the ship had no crew, it was remote controlled. With this knowledge the crew were able to find a solution, creating an inter-receptive network blocking the subspace communications controlling the aggressor. Cut off from its controllers the vessel self destructed. The Enterprise called in at a nearby Starbase following this incident. 

2371
On stardate 48650.1 the Enterprise-D met its end during a confrontation with a Klingon Bird-of-Prey under command of the Duras sisters. The sisters had previously captured Geordi La Forge and while under their captivity had Tolian Soran (a scientist they were working with) modify La Forge's VISOR to transmit a video stream to them. Upon his return to the Enterprise they used this data to discover the Enterprise's shield frequencies and adjusted their disruptor frequencies accordingly to fire through the Enterprise's shields. The damage they inflicted eventually caused a warp core breach, fortunately the crew managed to evacuate to the saucer section and separate before the stardrive exploded. The shock wave created by that explosion did however knock the saucer off course, causing it to crash land on the planet Veridian III below. Most of the crew survived but the Enterprise herself was not salvageable and a small group of Starfleet vessels arrived shortly after to retrieve the Enterprise's crew. 

Commander Riker later revisited the crash site to head up a team to dismantle the remains of the ship, so that if and when the natives of Veridian IV ever achieved spaceflight and visited Veridian III they would not discover the crashed starship. After a Romulan attack, Riker activated the saucer's auto-destruct sequence, leading to the ship's final destruction. While the blast totally obliterated the surrounding area, Riker decided that it would be less harmful for explorers from Veridian IV to find a huge crater rather than the remains of the Enterprise-D. 

Much of the Enterprise-D's crew later transferred to the new USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E).

Personnel

 * See main article: USS Enterprise-D personnel.

(*)Temporary field promotion during the Borg attack of 2366-2367.
 * Commanding officer:
 * Captain Thomas Halloway (2364)
 * Captain Thomas Halloway (2369) (alternate timeline)
 * Captain Jean-Luc Picard (2364-2371)
 * Captain William T. Riker (2367) (Temporary field promotion to Captain during the Borg attack of 2367.)
 * Captain Edward Jellico (2369)
 * First officer:
 * Commander William T. Riker (2364-2371)
 * Commander Kurn (2365)
 * Commander Quentin Stone (2366)
 * Commander Elizabeth Shelby (2367)
 * Lieutenant Commander Data (briefly in 2369)
 * Second officer/operations officer: Lieutenant Commander Data (2364-2371)
 * Chief Engineer:
 * Lieutenant Commander Sarah MacDougal (2364)
 * Lieutenant Commander Michael Argyle (2364)
 * Lieutenant Charles H. Logan (2364)
 * Lieutenant Commander Leland T. Lynch (2364)
 * Lieutenant/Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge (2365-2371)
 * Tactical officer/chief of security:
 * Lieutenant Tasha Yar (2364, KIA (2364-2366, alternate timeline))
 * Lieutenant J.G./Lieutenant/Lieutenant Commander Worf (2364-2371)
 * flight controller:
 * Lieutenant J.G. Geordi La Forge (2364)
 * Ensign Wesley Crusher (2364-2367)
 * Ensign Ro Laren (2368-2369)
 * Ensign Sariel Rager (2368-2370)
 * Chief medical officer
 * Commander Beverly Crusher (2364, 2366-2371)
 * Commander Katherine Pulaski (2365)
 * Counselor: Commander Deanna Troi (2364-2371)
 * Transporter Chief: Miles O'Brien (2364-2369)

Alternate realities
In one alternate timeline, a Borg sphere sent from the future destroyed the Enterprise-D. As a result of the altered timeline Tasha Yar did not give birth to Sela and Martok only rose to the position of captain. Fortunately, the USS Premonition went back in time as well, and destroyed the Sphere, restoring the original timeline. 

In 2367, it was discovered that a mirror universe timeline existed in which the Terran Empire had survived into the 24th century. This timeline had its own version of the Enterprise, the, with a registry of ICC-1701-D. 
 * In the canon mirror universe, and other non-canon variations of the mirror universe published after Dark Mirror and the Deep Space Nine mirror universe episodes the Terran Empire had fallen by the 24th century so the Enterprise did not have counterparts.

In another alternative timeline, following the disappearance of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-C), relations between the Federation and the Klingon Empire deteriorated into war. The Enterprise-D became the first Federation Galaxy class warship. In 2366 the Enterprise-C reappeared through a temporal rift and encountered the Enterprise-D. It soon became clear that the Enterprise-C's disappearance had lead to the creation of this timeline so the Enterprise-D laid down cover fire to protect the Enterprise-C from attacking K'vort class Bird-of-Prey as she returned. As the Enterprise-D was verging on destruction the Enterprise-C returned back in time with the addition of Tasha Yar of the Enterprise-D, this Tasha was soon taken captive by Romulans and became the mother of the half Romulan Sela. 

In another alternate timeline the Enterprise-D survived into 2378. The majority of the Enterprise's staff had moved on to other positions with many of the Senior Staff having been replaced by Soong Type Androids. Captain Picard took the Enterprise into the Romulan Neutral Zone following the receipt of a message from the long missing Data. The ship and crew were led to Iconia which had been colonized by the androids. In order to protect the innocents below the Enterprise was forced to engage the in orbit of the planet; however, a peaceful resolution was obtained when the Iconian gateway technology was surrendered to all powers in the Alpha Quadrant. (SS TNG (Brave New World))

In an alternative future created by Q the Enterprise had undergone extensive refits including the addition of a third warp nacelle and several additional phaser cannons. The third warp nacelle enhanced the power and speed of the ship. The vessel also had a cloaking device at this time. Her commanding officer was Captain Sam Lavelle, who retired in 2395. (, CCG card: "Future Enterprise")

Appearances
 2364 2365  2366  2367  2368  2369  2370  2371
 * Encounter at Farpoint (TNG novelization)
 * Double Helix: Infection (TNG novel)
 * Ghost Ship (TNG novel)
 * The Space Between: History Lesson (TNG comic)
 * The Peacekeepers (TNG novel)
 * Survivors (TNG novel)
 * The Children of Hamlin (TNG novel)
 * The Captains' Honor (TNG novel)
 * Strike Zone (TNG novel)
 * The Legacy of Eleanor Dain (TNG comic)
 * Power Hungry (TNG novel)
 * Many Splendors (Chapter 1) (SCE eBook)
 *  (TNG novel)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Many Splendors (Chapters 2-3) (SCE eBook)
 * Enterprise Logs: The Captain and the King (TNG short story)
 * Many Splendors (Chapter 4) (SCE eBook)
 * A Call to Darkness (TNG novel)
 * Many Splendors (Chapter 5) (SCE eBook)
 * Strange New Worlds VII: Life's Work (TNG short story)
 * A Rock and a Hard Place (TNG novel)
 * Gulliver's Fugitives (TNG novel)
 * Doomsday World (TNG novel)
 * Many Splendors (Chapter 6) (SCE eBook)
 * Strange New Worlds VII: Beginnings (TNG short story)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Many Splendors (Chapter 7) (SCE eBook)
 * Q-in-Law (TNG novel)
 * Fortune's Light (TNG novel)
 * The Eyes of the Beholders (TNG novel)
 * Boogeymen (TNG novel)
 * Federation (TNG portions) (TNG/TOS novel)
 * Strange New Worlds I: What Went Through Data's Mind 0.68 Seconds Before the Satellite Hit (TNG short story)
 * Contamination (TNG novel)
 * Many Splendors (Chapter 8) (SCE eBook)
 * Strange New Worlds I: Civil Disobedience (TNG short story)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Spartacus (TNG novel)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds I: See Spot Run (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds IV: Prodigal Son (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds IV: Flash Point (TNG short story)
 * Dark Mirror (TNG novel)
 * Vendetta (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds I: Of Cabbages and Kings (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds V: The Monkey Puzzle Box (TNG short story)
 * Chains of Command (TNG novel)
 * The Forgotten War (TNG novel)
 * Imbalance (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds III: The Fourth Toast (TNG short story)
 * The Badlands, Book 1 (TNG portion) (TNG novella)
 * Many Splendors (Chapters 9-10) (SCE eBook)
 * Strange New Worlds V: Dementia in D Minor (TNG short story)
 * Unification (TNG novelization)
 * The Amazing Stories: Last Words (TNG short story)
 * The Space Between: Captain's Pleasure (TNG comic)
 * Strange New Worlds V: Kristin's Conundrum (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds V: Efflorescence (TNG short story)
 *  (TNG novel)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * War Drums (TNG novel)
 * Nightshade (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds VII: Future Shock (TNG short story)
 * Sins of Commission (TNG novel)
 * The Devil's Heart (TNG novel)
 * The Romulan Prize (TNG novel)
 * Grounded (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds IV: The Promise (TNG short story)
 * The Space Between: Light of the Day'' (TNG comic)
 * Strange New Worlds II: Calculated Risk (TNG short story)
 * Relics (TNG novelization)
 * The Amazing Stories: On the Scent of Trouble (TNG short story)
 * A Fury Scorned (TNG novel)
 * Debtors' Planet (TNG novel)
 * Emissary (DS9 novelization)
 * Guises of the Mind (TNG novel)
 * No Limits: 'Q'uandary (NF short story)
 * The Death of Princes (TNG novel)
 * Double Helix: Red Sector (TNG novel)
 * To Storm Heaven (TNG novel)
 * The Romulan Stratagem (TNG novel)
 * Foreign Foes (TNG novel)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds V: The Farewell Gift (TNG short story)
 * Descent (TNG novelization)
 * A Final Unity (TNG video game)
 * Engines of Destiny (TNG novel)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Possession (TNG novel)
 * Embrace the Wolf (TNG comic)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Infiltrator (TNG novel)
 * Into the Nebula (TNG novel)
 * The Amazing Stories: Life Itself is Reason Enough (TNG short stories)
 * Q-Squared (TNG novel)
 * Balance of Power (TNG novel)
 * Dragon's Honor (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds III: Whatever You Do, Don't Read This Story (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds II: I Am Klingon (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds: The Naked Truth (TNG short story)
 * Rogue Saucer (TNG novel)
 * All Good Things... (TNG novelization)
 * The Space Between: An Inconvenient Truth'' (TNG comic)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds V: The Peacemakers (TNG short story)
 * Day of Honor: Ancient Blood (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds III: A Q to Swear By (TNG short story)
 *  (TNG novel)
 *  (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds IV: Flight 19 (TNG short story)
 * Do Comets Dream? (TNG novel)
 * Tooth and Claw (TNG novel)
 *  (TNG comic)
 * Strange New Worlds 8: Morning Bells Are Ringing (TNG short story)
 * The Captain's Table: Dujonian's Hoard (TNG novel)
 * Strange New Worlds 8: Passages of Deceit (TNG short story)
 * Invasion!: The Soldiers of Fear (TNG novel)
 * Star Trek Generations (TNG novelization)
 * Strange New Worlds VI: Tribble in Paradise (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds VII: 🇸🇸 (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds VII: Solemn Duty (TNG short story)
 * Strange New Worlds III: The Change of Seasons (TNG short story)