Star Trek Insurrection

Original Release Date: 11/22/1998
Running Time: Approx 103 minutes

Cast

Plot

Stardate: Unknown

     While observing the peaceful Ba'ku people on their planet during a temporary transfer to the undercover mission there, Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) appears to malfunction, revealing the hidden presence of the joint Federation and Son'a task force to the Ba'ku. Admiral Matthew Dougherty (Anthony Zerbe) requests the help of the starship USS Enterprise-E to capture or disable Data. Admiral Dougherty's allies, the Son'a, are a decrepit race who use medical techniques to prevent death and their repeated use of cosmetic surgery gives them a mummified appearance. After stopping Data, USS Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) becomes suspicious of Dougherty's insistence that the Enterprise is no longer needed, and his crew investigate the cause of Data's malfunction. They discover that the Ba'ku are technologically advanced but have rejected the use of advanced technology in their daily lives. Due to unique radiation or "metaphasic particles" emanating from their world's rings, they are effectively immortal. The Enterprise crew also begin to experience the rejuvenation effects of the planet; Lt. Cmdr Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) finds his eyes have regenerated and he no longer requires ocular implants, Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) rekindle their long-abandoned relationship, and Picard develops a romantic relationship with the Ba'ku woman Anij (Donna Murphy).

     Picard and his team discover a cloaked Federation ship containing a gigantic holodeck set up to recreate the Ba'ku village; Data's malfunction was due to a Son'a attack when he previously discovered the vessel. Confronting Dougherty with his discovery, Picard learns that Federation officers and the Son'a plan to move the Ba'ku to the ship while they collect the planet's radiation to further Federation science, destroying the planet in the process. Dougherty orders Enterprise to leave, but Picard tells Riker and La Forge to tell the Federation what is occurring while he and others fly down to the planet and evacuate the Ba'ku, all agreeing that the moral crimes that would be committed to acquire the healing radiation are not worth the medical benefits that would result.

     With the Enterprise crew stranded on the planet following a mineral deposit that disrupts conventional transporter locking systems, the Son'a send robotic probes to tag and transport the fleeing Ba'ku, while their leader Ahdar Ru'afo (F. Murray Abraham) convinces Dougherty to allow two Son'a ships to attack the Enterprise. Riker stops the ships from attacking and the Enterprise escapes. With their plan exposed, Ru'afo insists that they must begin to harvest the radiation immediately, but Picard reveals to Dougherty that the Son'a and the Ba'ku are the same race. The Son'a are a breakaway faction of younger Ba'ku who a century earlier wanted to give up their bucolic existence and re-embrace the use of technology. Tensions escalated until they attempted to take over the colony, but when they failed the elders exiled the Son'a from the planet and its regenerative radiation, dooming them to age and eventually die from natural causes. The Son'a have spent the past century trying to preserve their lives through artificial means, accounting for their altered appearances and their reckless attempt to harvest the radiation. The Son'a kill Admiral Dougherty when he refuses to allow Ru'afo's scheme to continue.

     Picard, Anij, and several Ba'ku are transported onto the Son'a ship. After convincing one of the Son'a, Gallatin (Gregg Henry), to help him, Picard masterminds a ruse to transport Ru'afo and the Son'a to the giant holoship, delaying the destructive metaphasic process. Ru'afo discovers the deception and transports to the radiation harvesting ship to start it manually. Picard follows him and activates the self-destruct, destroying the harvester and killing Ru'afo. The remaining Son'a are welcomed back by the Ba'ku who forgive their actions; Picard arranges a meeting between Gallatin and his Ba'ku mother. The Enterprise crew take a moment to enjoy their rejuvenated selves before returning to their mission.