'Shades of Gray' (Story Code 148) by Maurice Hurley, Richard Manning and Hans Beimler Story by Maurice Hurley

While on a routine geological survey on the jungle planet of Surata IV, Commander Riker is scratched by a small thorn. Losing the feeling in his leg, Riker beams back to the Enterprise, only to learn from Doctor Pulaski that an unknown microbe is now spreading rapidly through his nervous system - and when it reaches his brain it will kill him. Unable to remove the infection without destroying Riker’s entire nervous system, Pulaski watches on as the commander bravely tries to ignore the threat to his body. However, it is not long before Riker falls ill and slips into unconsciousness. Now that the organism has spread to his brain, the only way to keep the commander alive is to electronically stimulate his memory. The dying Riker’s past literally flashes before his mind’s eye…

Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes (Commander William Thomas Riker), LeVar Burton (Chief Engineer Lieutenant Geordi La Forge), Michael Dorn (Security Chief Lieutenant Worf), Marina Sirtis (Councelor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lieutenant Commander Data), Wil Wheaton (Ensign Wesley Crusher), Diana Muldaur (Doctor [Commander] Katherine ‘Kate’ Pulaski), Colm Meaney (Transporter Chief)

Directed by Rob Bowman
Produced by Robert L. McCullough
Executive Producer Gene Roddenberry

TX:
17th July, 1989

Notes:
*Featuring Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commander William Thomas Riker, Chief Engineer Lieutenant Geordi La Forge, Security Chief Lieutenant Worf, Councelor Deanna Troi, Lieutenant Commander Data, Doctor [Commander] Katherine ‘Kate’ Pulaski, Transporter Chief Miles O’Brien and Ensign Wesley Crusher

*This is a flashback episode