Lower Decks

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Star Trek: TNG episode
"Lower Decks"
Episode no. 167
Prod. code 267
Airdate the week of February 7, 1994
Writer(s) Brannon Braga
Jeri Taylor
Director Jonathan Frakes
Guest star(s) Dan Gauthier as Lavelle
Shannon Fill as Sito
Alexander Enberg as Taurik
Bruce Beatty as Ben
Patti Yasutake as Nurse Ogawa
Don Reilly as Joret
Year 2370
Stardate 47566.7
Episode chronology
Previous "Sub Rosa"
Next "Thine Own Self"

"Lower Decks" is an episode of the seventh season of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Contents

[edit] Short synopsis

While enduring the Enterprise's promotion evaluation process, four junior officers find themselves involved in a top-secret mission.

[edit] Plot summary

Four young Enterprise junior officers find their friendship strained during personnel evaluations. Two of the friends, Sam Lavelle and a young Bajoran woman named Sito Jaxa discover that they are being considered for the same job. Joined by their pal Ben, a civilian who works as a waiter, they learn that promotions seem to be already decided on for their other two friends, Nurse Ogawa and the young Vulcan engineer Taurik.

Meanwhile, we learn that Commander Riker and Worf differ on whether Lavelle or Sito should be promoted. At one point, Captain Picard also chastizes Sito for her role in a Starfleet Academy scandal (depicted in the earlier episode "The First Duty").

Considerations of promotions are interrupted, however, by a baffling secret mission that all but Lavelle are involved in. Left out of the loop, Lavelle becomes convinced that this is a sign that he will not be promoted. Coached by Worf, Sito stands up to Picard and is assigned the dangerous secret mission where she will pose as a Bajoran captive taken by the Cardassians.

Tragically, Sito is lost on the mission, and all that is recovered of her escape pod is scattered debris. Lavelle receives the promotion, but is downhearted. However, his friends come to his side to raise his spirits.

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • Alexander Enberg, the actor who played the Vulcan engineer Taurik, also plays the part of Vorik, a Vulcan engineer on Star Trek: Voyager. Alexander Enberg's mother Jeri Taylor, a Star Trek: Voyager producer and writer, has suggested that Vorik and Taurik are twins.
  • Some syndicated broadcasts of this episode omit the scenes in which Ben leaves Lavelle's quarters following their poker game, only to show up at Riker's game. These scenes are notable as another example of Ben's ability to fraternize with all ranks of Enterprise crew members due to his civilian status.
  • This is the only Next Generation episode which focuses on Starfleet personnel who are not senior officers.
  • Only Nurse Ogawa has made more than one previous appearance on the show in the past, as well as in this one

[edit] External links