'Lessons' (Story Code 245) by Ronald Wilkerson and Jean Louise Matthias

Unable to sleep, Captain Picard decides to work on a personal assignment, only to discover that many of the computer’s functions have been taken off-line; his curiosity piqued, he investigates the source of the situation: the Stellar Sciences department. Here he meets the new department head, the lovely Lieutenant Commander Nella Daren; she and her staff have taken advantage of the ‘early morning’ downtime to construct a mathematical map of an emerging star system. Picard finds himself drawn to the beautiful and intelligent woman, an attraction that increases after he becomes overwhelmed by her piano performance at a concert in Ten-Forward the following evening. Impressed by his musical knowledge, Nella suggests that they play together sometime; the next evening, as the captain is practicing his Ressikan flute in his quarters, Nella arrives unexpectedly with a flexible keyboard. They play a duet, an experience they both enjoy immensely. They continue to see each other, and it is not long before Nella shows Picard a specific intersection in the ship’s Jefferies Tubes where the acoustics are perfect; they enjoy another duet, and then share a passionate kiss. However, the captain soon becomes unsure about dating a woman under his command, and he seeks advice from Counselor Troi; she is pleased for him, and encourages his relationship with Nella. But when the U.S.S. Enterprise arrives at the planet Bersallis III to study the planet's firestorms, Picard is unaware that the deadly phenomenon raging on the surface will soon cause him to place the life of his lover in jeopardy…

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), Wendy Hughes (Lieutenant Commander Nella Darren),

Directed by Robert Wiemer
Produced by Peter Lauritson
Co-Produced by Ronald D. Moore
Co-Executive Producer Jeri Taylor
Executive Producers Michael Piller and Rick Berman

TX:
5th April, 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