Plot
While patrolling the Neutral Zone, the Enterprise discovers an unmarked Romulan spacecraft approaching Federation space pursued by a Romulan Warbird. The Enterprise moves to intercept the ship, causing the Warbird to cloak and return to Romulan space. The occupant of the ship is brought aboard the Enterprise, and claims he is Sub-Lieutenant Setal, an insignificant logistics clerk seeking to defect to the Federation after coming across information about a secret Romulan installation on the planet Nelvana III, within the Neutral Zone, that could sustain a large Romulan fleet. Picard and his crew remain skeptical of Setal's claims when he refuses to provide them with any more evidence, and Picard orders an investigation of Setal's reliability while the Federation relays to the Enterprise that the Romulans are seeking Setal's return. When Setal's ship auto-destructs, the crew is forced to review the records of Setal's arrival, and believe that the Romulans arranged Setal as part of an elaborate hoax. Picard refuses to enter the Neutral Zone on the baseless claims.
Setal confides to Data that his defection came at a heavy price, that he will never be able to see Romulus or his family again; Data attempts to elevate Setal's feelings by taking him to a holodeck representation of Romulus. Setal dismisses the hologram and reveals that he is actually Admiral Jarok, a high-ranking officer who previously had led a vicious campaign against several Federation outposts near the Neutral Zone. Jarok again beseeches Picard to investigate Nelvana III, but Picard refuses, and demands either Jarok provide the full information or he will be damned as a traitor. Jarok gives in to Picard's request, and gives detailed tactical information to Picard. Picard orders the Enterprise to Nelvana III.
When they arrive, the crew finds the planet completely barren with no evidence of any installation, to Jarok's surprise. The Enterprise is soon flanked by two Warbirds, demanding the return of Jarok and the surrender of the ship. Picard realizes that Jarok was used as a pawn by the Romulans, feeding him disinformation to lure the Federation into the Neutral Zone. Picard had already taken precautions for this possibility as three Birds of Prey, sent by the Klingons at Worf's request, de-cloak and trap the Warbirds. The Enterprise is allowed to leave the Neutral Zone without incident. As they leave the Neutral Zone, the crew finds that Jarok has committed suicide leaving behind a note for his family, and Picard comments on Jarok's strength of conviction for change to end the Federation-Romulan conflict.
Read more about this topic: The Defector (Star Trek: The Next Generation)
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