Identity Crisis
When members of a past mission to Tarchannen Three begin transforming into a mysterious alien species and disappearing, Geordi La Forge and Susanna Leijten must uncover the cause before Geordi succumbs to the same horrifying fate.
Five years after the unexplained disappearance of forty-nine people from a Federation outpost on Tarchannen Three, Lieutenant Susanna Leijten seeks Captain Picard's help when members of her original away team start vanishing. The investigation begins with Ensign Hickman, who steals a shuttle and heads toward Tarchannen Three, only to crash into the planet's atmosphere. Picard, Riker, Data, Worf, Geordi, and Leijten venture to the planet's surface, where they find another shuttle and non-human footprints. Susanna exhibits strange behavior and is taken back to the Enterprise where Doctor Crusher discovers that her blood chemistry is off. Picard orders Susanna to remain on the ship.
Back on the Enterprise, Data discovers alien skin cells on the torn uniform found on the planet and the away team works to identify the source. During their investigation, Susanna's hand starts trembling, and she reveals that whatever happened to the others is happening to her. Data and Beverly study the data on the monitor, trying to find a match to the DNA found. Geordi and Susanna review the old mission records, trying to find a commonality between the team members, hoping to stop whatever is turning Leijten into something else. Beverly expresses concerns about Geordi's safety, and Geordi attempts to analyze the mission records to uncover the mystery. Picard and Beverly watch a magnified image of a single cell, where Beverly determines that the people who disappeared from Tarchannen Three were transformed into another species, not abducted from it. Then, Susanna exhibits new physical symptoms, and the transformation accelerates.
Beverly and Nurse Ogawa note that Commander Leijten's skin starts simulating the light so that a phosphorous trail is left on the skin and her body temperature is dropping, as if she if generating a disruptive field. Geordi, determined to find a link, discovers a mysterious shadow in the old visual record from the original away team. In the holodeck, he recreates the scene and isolates the shadow in the recording to pinpoint the source. Geordi has a sudden, intense jab of internal pain and sees that his middle fingers have fused together. He soon realizes he is also transforming. Riker, Worf, and Data search the ship for Geordi, who has left to the planet.
Beverly discovers the way they reproduce is to plant a DNA strand in a living host, causing metamorphosis. Susanna, now partially recovered, insists she can locate Geordi because now that she's been partially transformed, she understands the process. On the planet, Susanna aids the away team, but asks to turn off the palm beacons since the light frightens them, and says to only use UV light. Susanna coaxes Geordi out of hiding, using her bond with him to allow the away team to transport them back to Sickbay, just as the changes are about to overtake him entirely. Back on the Enterprise, Dr. Crusher cures Geordi, just in time. The threat is over, but the rest who were turned into the Tarchannen species will not be able to be turned back into humans. Picard orders warning beacons placed in orbit and on the surface of the planet, so no one else will have to go through what Geordi, Susanna, and the rest experienced.
Events in This Episode
The narrative beats that drive the story
The narrative opens with a five-year-old recording from Tarchannen Three, showing a younger Geordi La Forge and Susanna Leijten investigating a vanished outpost alongside Ensigns Hickman, Mendez, and Brevelle. They discover a torn Starfleet uniform, hinting at the mystery. Five years later, Commander Leijten reports to Captain Picard, Commander Riker, and Geordi that Brevelle, Mendez, and Hickman have all disappeared, each last seen heading towards Tarchannen Three. Geordi expresses disbelief that Hickman, a family man, would desert. Leijten confirms Hickman was spotted en route to the planet, emphasizing that the original disappearances were never solved. The ominous realization that Geordi and Susanna are the only two remaining members of that original investigative team establishes a personal and immediate threat. The Enterprise then sets a course to intercept Hickman's stolen shuttlecraft. Geordi and Susanna share a moment of apprehension in Ten Forward, discussing their past and present fears, acknowledging the danger they face. On the Bridge, Hickman's shuttle is located, but he ignores all hails and commands, accelerating directly into Tarchannen Three's atmosphere, where it is destroyed. This dramatic event confirms the compulsion drawing Starfleet personnel back to the planet. Sensors detect two more Federation shuttles on the planet's surface, but no life signs. Picard dispatches an away team, including Riker, Worf, Data, Geordi, and Susanna, to investigate. On the planet, they find Mendez's shuttle and another torn uniform. Susanna discovers non-human footprints and begins to exhibit strange behavior, following the prints alone into the darkness. Geordi finds her, but she is disoriented and resists his attempts to help, thrashing violently. Geordi manages to transport them both back to Sickbay, marking the first direct physical manifestation of the mysterious affliction on a main character.
The recovered five-year-old recording from Tarchannen Three’s abandoned outpost introduces Lieutenant Susanna Leijten and a younger Geordi La Forge as they investigate the disappearance of the outpost’s crew. The footage …
The recovered recording from Tarchannen Three’s abandoned outpost captures Susanna Leijten, Geordi La Forge, and their team investigating the disappearance of the entire crew. As they examine the desolate landscape, …
In the Observation Lounge, Susanna Leijten presents damning evidence of the Tarchannen Three mission’s disappearances, identifying the three key figures—Ensign Brevelle (who was ill before deserting), Mendez (who vanished without …
In the Observation Lounge, Susanna Leijten presents irrefutable evidence that Paul Hickman—Geordi La Forge’s former mentor and a family man—has abandoned his post and is heading toward Tarchannen Three, the …
In the Observation Lounge, Susanna Leijten presents a five-year-old recording of the original Tarchannen Three away team—Ensigns Brevelle, Mendez, and Hickman—before their disappearances. Picard and Riker probe the timeline of …
The Enterprise arrives in the Tarchannen system, where Picard immediately orders Worf to hail Lieutenant Hickman’s missing shuttle—only to receive no response. As Geordi and Susanna enter the bridge, Worf …
The Enterprise arrives in the Tarchannen system, where Picard orders Worf to hail Lieutenant Hickman’s missing shuttle—only to find it unresponsive. As Geordi and Susanna enter the bridge, Worf confirms …
The bridge crew of the Enterprise watches in horror as Ensign Hickman’s stolen shuttle spirals uncontrollably toward Tarchannen Three’s atmosphere, defying all attempts to intervene. Picard’s urgent hails go unanswered …
The bridge crew watches helplessly as Ensign Hickman’s stolen shuttle—piloted under the influence of the alien transformation—plunges into Tarchannen III’s atmosphere and disintegrates in a fiery explosion. The moment of …
The bridge crew watches in horror as Lieutenant Hickman’s stolen shuttle disintegrates upon atmospheric entry into Tarchannen Three, despite Picard’s desperate attempts to intervene. Data’s clinical countdown—‘sixteen seconds to impact’—contrasts …
The away team materializes on Tarchannen Three’s desolate surface, where the perpetual twilight casts long shadows over the abandoned shuttlecraft—a critical piece of evidence tied to the disappearances. Susanna Leijten, …
The away team materializes on Tarchannen Three’s eerie, twilight-shrouded surface near a derelict shuttlecraft. Susanna Leijten confirms the vessel belongs to Mendez, one of the missing crew, escalating the urgency …
In Sickbay, Doctor Crusher examines Susanna, finding her blood chemistry severely abnormal and a histamine response, though the cause remains unknown. Crusher orders Susanna to remain on the Enterprise for observation, a directive Captain Picard reinforces despite Susanna's protests and desire to continue the investigation. Geordi attempts to reassure Susanna. Picard, however, expresses concern to Beverly about Geordi's safety, noting that Mendez and Hickman also seemed fine before their disappearances. Susanna, agitated and speaking rapidly in the corridor, proposes a more aggressive search strategy on the planet. She then notices her hand trembling uncontrollably, realizing that whatever is happening to the others is now happening to her. Geordi offers comfort, holding her hand and promising to protect her. Back on the Main Bridge, Data, Geordi, and Susanna examine magnified alien skin cells found on the torn uniform and a computer graphic of the strange, non-human footprints. Data explains the footprints are not from any known Tarchannen life form. Data and Beverly begin searching the medical database for a match. Geordi and Susanna, working together, decide to review old mission records to find a commonality among the original team members, hoping to identify the source of the affliction. In Beverly's office, Data expresses his strong motivation to solve the mystery, hinting at his concern for Geordi. Meanwhile, in Geordi's office, Susanna grows increasingly restless and frustrated with the lack of progress, feeling the effects of the transformation. She complains of her eyes hurting and her brain feeling 'wrapped in a blanket,' expressing a desperate need to get off the ship and return to Tarchannen. Geordi suggests seeing Doctor Crusher, but Susanna vehemently refuses, insisting the answers are on the planet. As she attempts to leave, her body begins trembling uncontrollably, and she collapses. Geordi rushes to her, discovering dark blotches on her neck and, to his horror, her two middle fingers fused together, a clear and shocking sign of her accelerating transformation.
Susanna Leijten’s mounting desperation to save Geordi La Forge from the alien transformation erupts into a heated challenge against Picard’s cautious strategy, advocating for aggressive away teams to scour Tarchannen …
In a tense corridor, Susanna Leijten’s mounting desperation erupts as she argues for aggressive action to investigate Tarchannen Three, her voice uncharacteristically frantic. Her agitation peaks when she notices her …
In the dimly lit Sickbay, Susanna lies in an emergency bed, her transformation significantly advanced: her skin mottled with black patches and veins, her hair oily and black, and her eyes no longer human. Beverly explains Susanna's extreme sensitivity to light. Geordi is visibly shocked by her appearance. Beverly informs Picard and Geordi that the people who disappeared from Tarchannen Three were not abducted but transformed into another species. Geordi, stunned, asks if the transformation can be stopped. Beverly admits the T-cell stimulator can only slow it, not cure it, and reveals that Geordi is very likely to be next, despite his recent bioscans. Geordi, moving from denial to acceptance, insists on returning to his investigation to find the source of the affliction, arguing that sitting in Sickbay would be futile. Picard, understanding Geordi's drive, grants permission, provided he reports for regular bioscans and immediately reports any symptoms. Geordi, relieved, rushes back to work. In his office, Geordi tirelessly reviews the mission's visual records, searching for anomalies. He performs various analyses—audio, spectrographic, radiation, micro-seismic—all yielding no results. Data enters, offering assistance and suggesting Geordi rest, expressing a rare form of concern. Geordi, however, is driven by urgency, knowing his time is limited. Meanwhile, in Sickbay, Nurse Ogawa alerts Beverly to Susanna's further deterioration: her skin now simulates light, leaving a phosphorous trail, and her body temperature is dropping. Beverly hypothesizes the presence of a foreign body, like a 'viral creche,' initiating a full genetic analysis. Back in his office, Geordi, watching the visual record, notices a single, unexplained shadow on the outpost wall after the away team members move out of view. Puzzled, he attempts to identify its source through computer analysis, but the computer cannot. Realizing the significance, Geordi orders a holographic simulation of the visual record in Holodeck Three, convinced he is on the verge of a breakthrough. As he hurries to the holodeck, he notices his own hand trembling badly, like Susanna's. He hesitates, knowing he should contact Beverly, but his determination to solve the mystery and save Susanna overrides his concern for his own health. He enters the holodeck, where a re-creation of Building One stands, complete with holograms of Susanna, Mendez, and Geordi, their shadows visible on the wall.
In the dimly lit sickbay of the Enterprise, Beverly Crusher struggles to stabilize Susanna Leijten, whose violent transformation into an alien entity is now undeniable. Her skin is mottled with …
In the dimly lit sickbay of the Enterprise, Susanna Leijten—now barely conscious and visibly transformed by the alien parasite—regains a fragile moment of lucidity as Geordi La Forge enters. Her …
In Beverly’s office, Picard and Beverly examine magnified cell samples—one from Susanna’s altered skin, the other an alien cell Data recovered—when Geordi enters unnoticed. Beverly delivers the devastating truth: the …
In Beverly’s office, Geordi La Forge—already exhibiting early signs of the alien transformation—overhears Beverly and Picard discussing the horrifying truth: the Tarchannen III crew weren’t abducted but transformed into an …
In the holodeck, Geordi, despite his increasing physical symptoms, focuses intently on the simulation. He creates a hologram of Brevelle, positioned as if recording the scene, and extrapolates the movements of the away team. As the simulation runs, the mysterious shadow remains on the outpost wall after the other shadows move off. Geordi, frustrated by the speed, freezes the program and reverses it, then isolates the unexplained shadow. He systematically removes the holograms and shadows of Leijten, La Forge, and Mendez, leaving only Brevelle, his camera, and the singular, unidentified shadow. Geordi positions himself between the camera and the wall, confirming nothing is casting the shadow. He asks the computer to identify the shadow's source, but it reports no object in the program could generate it. A wave of dizziness strikes Geordi, but he pushes through. He then instructs the computer to extrapolate the most likely shape and position of the object casting the shadow, assuming a height similar to his own. A gray, roughly humanoid figure materializes in front of the shadow, revealing the alien's presence. Just as Geordi makes this crucial discovery, he is struck by a sudden, intense jab of internal pain, dropping to his knees. His middle fingers fuse together, and the first mottled blotches of transformation appear on his neck, confirming his worst fears. Meanwhile, in Sickbay, Beverly and Nurse Ogawa finally locate a parasite in Susanna's thymus, which is using her immune system to spread genetic instructions and transform her DNA. They realize they need unaltered genes to reverse the process and prepare for surgery. Beverly attempts to contact Geordi, but the computer reports he is no longer on board the Enterprise. Data confirms no transporter activity, and Worf reports all shuttles are secure, creating confusion. Picard orders a search for Geordi's last known location, which is Holodeck Three. Riker and Worf rush to the holodeck, where they find Geordi's abandoned VISOR and torn uniform, confirming his transformation and departure. Simultaneously, the chameleon-like humanoid (Geordi) breaks the security lockout in Transporter Room Six and beams down to Tarchannen Three, evading detection and leaving the Enterprise.
Geordi La Forge reconstructs the Tarchannen Three outpost in a holodeck simulation, methodically isolating a mysterious shadow observed in the original away team recordings. He freezes the holograms and reverses …
Geordi La Forge, already showing early signs of physical deterioration (trembling hands, sweat, dizziness), methodically reconstructs the Tarchannen Three outpost in the holodeck to investigate the anomalous shadow observed in …
In the holodeck, Geordi La Forge obsessively reconstructs the Tarchannen Three mission to isolate the unexplained shadow from Brevelle’s recordings. As he methodically strips away holographic elements—removing Susanna, Mendez, and …
The bridge crew’s tense focus on Data’s stalled progress in tracking the parasitic infection is shattered when Beverly Crusher’s post-surgery update reveals Geordi La Forge—critical to the mission—has vanished from …
The bridge crew’s tense investigation into the Tarchannen Three infection is abruptly derailed when Beverly Crusher’s post-surgery update reveals Geordi La Forge has vanished from the Enterprise—despite his successful surgery …
In a tense moment on the Enterprise bridge, Beverly Crusher’s voice cuts through the air via comms, delivering a chilling revelation: Geordi La Forge’s emerging mimetic skin abilities—meant to protect …
On the bridge, Beverly Crusher’s voice cuts through the tension with a critical update: the parasitic organism rewriting Susanna’s DNA is undetectable by standard sensors, escalating the crew’s sense of …
On the Main Bridge, the crew struggles to locate Geordi, as their sensor array proves useless against his transformed state. Data proposes modifying an emergency beacon to emit ultraviolet light, which can read Geordi's absorption spectrum. Riker immediately orders the modification and prepares an away team. In Engineering, Data quickly completes the UV beacon. Transporter Chief Hedrick, recovered from his encounter with the transformed Geordi, reports Geordi's transport coordinates, confirming he beamed down near the Aries shuttle on Tarchannen Three. Riker and Worf acknowledge the vast search area but remain determined. Meanwhile, in Sickbay, Susanna regains consciousness, her eyes clear and human again, though still partially alien. Beverly explains the removal of the parasite. Susanna, with newfound inner knowledge from her partial transformation, corrects Beverly, stating it wasn't a parasite but the alien species' method of reproduction: planting a DNA strand in a living host to cause metamorphosis. She immediately senses Geordi is on the planet and insists she is the only one who can find him. On Tarchannen Three, Riker, Beverly, Susanna, Worf, and Data materialize. Susanna, sensitive to the light, instructs the team to turn off their palm beacons, explaining the light frightens the transformed creatures, but confirms the UV light will not. She leads the team into the underbrush, quickly locating Geordi and two other Tarchannen creatures. Geordi, barely recognizable in his alien form, attempts to flee. Susanna, using her bond with Geordi and her understanding of his internal struggle, gently coaxes him out of hiding. She appeals to his remaining humanity, emphasizing that she has returned and can help him come back. She holds out her hand, and after a long beat, Geordi takes it. Beverly immediately taps her insignia, ordering their transport directly to Sickbay. Back on the Enterprise, Geordi is cured and on the road to recovery, though his skin still bears a few blotches. Susanna is completely back to normal. Picard asks about the fate of Brevelle and Mendez; Susanna confirms there is no hope for them to return to human form. Geordi, now able to speak, explains that in another few minutes, he would not have responded to Susanna at all, indicating the irreversible nature of the full transformation. Picard orders warning beacons placed in orbit and on the planet's surface to prevent future incidents. Geordi, deeply moved, thanks Susanna for trusting him even in his transformed state, acknowledging her role in saving him. Susanna, with a grin, attributes it to her 'good advice,' and they share a comforting hug, bringing a personal resolution to their ordeal.
The crisis escalates as Data discovers Geordi La Forge has bypassed transporter security in Room Six, initiating an unauthorized transport to Tarchannen Three. The bridge crew reacts with alarm when …
With Geordi La Forge vanished after an unauthorized transporter breach—his life signs undetectable on Tarchannen Three—the bridge crew faces a critical impasse. Picard acknowledges the sensor array’s failure, leaving the …
In Engineering, Riker and Worf arrive to find Data modifying Geordi’s tampered emergency beacon, confirming the device was sabotaged. Hedrick’s transporter logs reveal Geordi beamed down near the Aries shuttle …
In Engineering, Commander Riker and Lieutenant Worf confront the urgent crisis of Geordi La Forge’s disappearance on Tarchannen Three. Data has been working to modify an emergency beacon to locate …
In Sickbay, Beverly Crusher prepares for an away team mission to rescue Geordi on Tarchannen Three, unaware that Susanna—recently freed from the alien transformation—has regained consciousness. When Beverly explains that …
In Sickbay, Susanna Leijten regains consciousness after Beverly Crusher removes what was assumed to be a parasitic growth from her thymus. Susanna immediately corrects Beverly, revealing the horrifying truth: the …
Susanna Leijten disables the team’s palm beacons—knowing the light triggers the transformed creatures’ aggression—then leads the away team into Tarchannen Three’s treacherous underbrush. She uses her intimate knowledge of the …
The away team materializes near the abandoned shuttle on Tarchannen Three, where Susanna immediately warns them to turn off their palm beacons, fearing the light will trigger the transformed creatures. …
After the away team locates Geordi—now partially transformed into a Tarchannen creature—hiding with two other infected beings, Susanna uses their shared history and emotional connection to appeal to his remaining …
In Sickbay, Picard confronts Susanna about the fate of Brevelle and Mendez, who have permanently transformed into alien entities. Susanna confirms their irreversible metamorphosis, forcing Picard to accept the tragic …
In Sickbay, Geordi La Forge awakens from his near-transformation, disoriented and temporarily blinded without his VISOR. Susanna Leijten reassures him, while Picard and Beverly Crusher press for answers about the …
In Sickbay, Picard confirms the irreversible transformation of the Tarchannen Three survivors—Brevelle, Mendez, and others—after Geordi La Forge, now recovered, reveals the alien species operates purely on instinct, leaving no …
In the quiet aftermath of Geordi’s rescue from Tarchannen Three, he awakens in Sickbay—still physically marked by the alien transformation but free of its control. Susanna, now fully recovered, is …
In the Transporter Room, Data executes a critical technical modification to the Enterprise’s UV beacon, repurposing it to pinpoint Geordi La Forge’s location on Tarchannen III. The urgency is palpable—Geordi’s …
In a high-stakes confrontation in Sickbay, Susanna Leijten—now partially transformed by the alien species—reveals the horrifying reproductive cycle of the creatures: they implant their DNA into hosts, triggering a grotesque …
Susanna Leijten leads an away team into the alien-infested environment of Tarchannen Three, equipped with UV lights to navigate the hostile terrain and locate Geordi La Forge, who has partially …
The event marks the Enterprise's departure from Tarchannen Three after the crisis has been resolved. The scene is brief but thematically significant, serving as a narrative bookend to the Tarchannen …
In the transporter room, Geordi La Forge—physically and emotionally drained after his near-transformation and rescue—stands with Susanna Leijten, who has just saved his life. The scene is quiet, the tension …