'Interface' (Story Code 255) by Joe Menosky

The U.S.S. Enterprise is sent to rescue the U.S.S. Raman, a science vessel trapped inside the turbulent atmosphere of a gas giant. Captain Picard and his crew plan to use a new probe in conjunction with Lieutenant LaForge’s VISOR, using the direct neural interface to allow him to experience the probe's responses as if he were actually the device itself. But as the preparations are made, Captain Picard receives some bad news from Starfleet: the starship U.S.S. Hera disappeared four days ago, and its captain is Silva LaForge - Geordi’s mother. Hearing the news, LaForge feels guilty for not having seen or spoken to his mother in weeks, but he insists on continuing with the mission, refusing to give up hope that the Hera will be found. Using the probe, he ‘enters’ the Raman and discovers the bodies of seven crew members; a burst of flame causes him to cry out in pain, but when Lieutenant Commander Data severs the link, LaForge is amazed to find that his hand is burned. Doctor Crusher surmises that the neural tolerance levels between LaForge and the probe were too high, creating a feedback loop that caused his burns. Despite his experience, LaForge insists on continuing the mission, planning to use the probe to bring the Raman out of the atmosphere; in the meantime, he decides to contact his father, but becomes upset to hear about the plans for his mother's funeral service. However, when LaForge later uses the probe to return to the Raman, he is shocked when his mother suddenly appears before him…

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), Madge Sinclair (Captain Silva La Forge), Warren Munson (Admiral Holt), Ben Vereen (Doctor La Forge)

Directed by Robert Wierner
Produced by Ronald D. Moore and Peter Lauritson
Co-Produced by Brannon Braga
Executive Producers Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller and Rick Berman

TX:
4th October, 1993

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 and Lieutenant Commander Data