'Half a Life' (Story Code 196) by Peter Allen Fields Story by Ted Roberts and Peter Allen Fields

While travelling aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, Counselor Troi's overbearing and over-sexed mother Lwaxana becomes romantically involved with the charming but reserved Doctor Timicin, a leading scientist from Kaelon II. Having enlisted the help of the Federation to save his world because its sun is dying, Timicin and the Enterprise head for a similar sun in a remote region of the galaxy so that the scientist can carry out his solar experiments. With the assistance of the crew, Timicin fires several photon torpedoes into the sun, hoping to elevate and then stabilise its temperature; the experiment seems to be successful, but then the sun's temperature continues to increase, quickly reaching dangerous levels and forcing the Enterprise to evacuate the region. As the ship returns to Kaelon II, Lwaxana tries to comfort a disappointed Timicin, but then becomes outraged on learning that he will soon take part in the Resolution, a ritual suicide practised by his people on reaching the age of sixty as a way of ending the need to care for the elderly. Lwaxana implores Timicin not to end his life, but he will not be swayed; she then appeals to Captain Picard to intercede, but he refuses on the grounds that the situation is out of his jurisdiction. Undaunted, Lwaxana stubbornly continues to try and talk Timicin out of his forthcoming suicide; realising that his work could continue if he chose not to carry out the Resolution, Timicin asks Picard for asylum aboard the Enterprise; however, this act incurs the anger of his people, and it is not long before several warships converge on the ship demanding that Timicin be handed over to them...

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), Majel Barrett (Lwaxana Troi), Michelle Forbes (Dara), Terrence E. McNally (B'Tardat), Colm Meaney (Transporter Chief Miles O’Brien), Carel Struycken (Mr. Homn), David Ogden Stiers (Doctor Timicin)

Directed by Les Landau
Produced by David Livingston
Co-Produced by Peter Lauritson
Executive Producers Michael Piller, Rick Berman and Gene Roddenberry

TX:
6th May, 1991

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 Transporter Chief Miles O’Brien

*Working title: ‘Civil Wars’