'The First Duty' (Story Code 219) by Ronald D. Moore and Naren Shankar

The U.S.S. Enterprise is on course for Starfleet Academy on Earth, where Captain Picard is to give the commencement address. While en-route the captain is informed of a flying accident involving Wesley Crusher and his flight team, the Nova Squadron; although Wesley is unharmed, all five ships were destroyed, and a team member, Josh Albert, was killed. The Enterprise crew arrive at the Academy, as an investigation headed by Academy superintendent Admiral Brand is begun. However, Brand quickly finds discrepancies between the survivors’ testimonies and the flight plan they filed, forcing the squadron leader, Nicholas Locarno, to reluctantly reveal that Albert panicked and lost control during the manoeuvre, causing the accident that ended his life. Seeing Wesley as “one of our own”, Picard instructs Lieutenant LaForge and Lieutenant Commander Data to begin their own investigation. Meanwhile, Wesley confronts Locarno about lying at the investigation; the charismatic leader insists that he told the truth, persuading the others that Albert probably did panic, and insisting that unless they stick together, they will all be expelled. Wesley soon finds himself caught between loyalty to his friends, and loyalty to Starfleet - but will he make the right choice…?

Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander William Thomas Riker), LeVar Burton (Chief Engineer Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Security Chief Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Doctor Beverly Crusher), Marina Sirtis (Councelor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lieutenant Commander Data), Ray Walston (Boothby), Robert Duncan McNeill (Cadet First Class Nicholas Locarno), Ed Lauter (Lieutenant Commander Albert), Richard Fancy (Captain Satelk), Jacqueline Brooks (Superintendant Admiral Brand), Wil Wheaton (Cadet Third Class Wesley Crusher), Walker Brandt (Cadet Second Class Jean Hajar), Shannon Fill (Cadet Second Class Sito), Richard Rothenberg (Cadet)

Directed by Paul Lynch
Co-Produced by Joe Menosky, Ronald D. Moore and Peter Lauritson
Produced by David Livingston
Executive Producer Michael Piller, Rick Berman and Gene Roddenberry

TX:
30th March, 1992

Notes:
*Featuring Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William Thomas Riker, Chief Engineer Lieutenant Geordi La Forge, Security Chief Lieutenant Worf, Doctor Beverly Crusher, Councelor Deanna Troi, Lieutenant Commander Data and Cadet Third Class Wesley Crusher