Stardates 42000-42999

En route to pick up samples of various viruses for study, The Enterprise is invaded by a strange, glowing light which searches around the ship until it finds Counsellor Troi and enters her body. Troi wakes up distressed and, after a medical examination discovers she is pregnant and the pregnancy is proceeding at an unusually rapid rate.  (This episode introduced Dr. Kate Pulaski as the new Chief Medical Officer.)

The Enterprise discovers a new phenomenon in the Morgana quadrant - a void that they can see but their sensors can't. It is inhabited by a strange being, Nagilum, who wishes to study the humans and is particularly curious about how humans die

Geordi plays John Watson to Data's Holmes in a holodeck created mystery.  When Pulaski claims that human understanding of mysteries and solving them is beyond Data's ability, Geordi programs the computer to create an original story and invites Pulaski along to watch Data solve it.

The Enterprise picks up a charming rogue, Okona, when his cargo ship's guidance system fails. Okona starts romancing and charming most people on the ship. Meanwhile, an interplanetary vessel arrives and demands that Okona be turned over to them as a known criminal. While Picard considers his options, a second ship arrives, also demanding Okona.

The Enterprise travels to the home of a brilliant but terminally ill scientist. The scientist becomes fascinated by Data and begins to talk only to him and retreats into seclusion with him. He reveals that he has discovered a way to cheat death by transferring his mind into a computer.

Riva, a mediator, travels on the Enterprise to Solaris 5. Riva is deaf and mute but communicates through his "Chorus," three people who receive his thoughts and speak for him. After beaming down to the planet to begin negotiations, one of the delegates attempts to kill Riva but instead kills his Chorus. The mediator now must decide to return home or try and continue his mission.

A mysterious disease infects a research station, causing the inhabitants to age rapidly. When Dr. Pulaski is also infected, the crew of the Enterprise must find a cure within days.

As part of an exchange program, Riker becomes the new First Officer aboard the Pagh, a Klingon war vessel. Meanwhile, the Enterprise finds a strange substance on its hull which turns out to be a strange bacteria that feeds on metal. Realizing the Klingon vessel was also affected, the Enterprise races to locate that ship and warn them.

A cybernetics expert wishes to dismantle Data for study so he can build more androids. When Picard declines, Maddox produces orders transferring Data to his command. Picard attempts to find a way to block but is discovers that, according to current laws, Data is considered property of Starfleet. In order to challenge this law, Picard is forced to defend Data in a hearing and Riker is forced to act as the prosecutor.

The Enterprise is assigned to transport the future ruler of Daled Four, with her guardian Anya. Wesley and Salia are immediately attracted to each other while Troi expresses concern that they may not be what they seem to be.

The Enterprise rushes to the Neutral Zone to aid the U.S.S. Yamato which has been plagued by systems failures. Shortly after the arrival of the Enterprise, the Yamato explodes and a Romulan ship uncloaks. After examining the logs of the Yamato, it becomes clear that the Romulans were not responsible for the destruction of the ship. The captain of the Yamato had apparently found the legendary planet of Iconia and his ship was infected by a computer virus transmitted by a probe from that planet, which destroyed the Yamato. Unfortunately, since the Enterprise downloaded the logs from the Yamato's computers, it now is threatened by the same virus.

The Enterprise finds debris from an old NASA ship orbiting a planet in an unmapped system. On the planet is apparently one single building which the away team discovers is modeled after the Hotel Royale from an old Earth novel.

The Enterprise picks up a shuttlecraft containing a version of Picard from the future. In the future timeline, the Enterprise apparently was destroyed with Picard the only survivor. The Enterprise now must discover what caused the destruction and how to prevent it.

Riker is offered command of the U.S.S. Aries, a small exploration ship. Sent to brief him on the new command is his estranged father.

The Enterprise is exploring geologic activity in several planetary systems when Data, working on a project to boost sensor output, picks up a faint signal which turns out to be from an alien girl without knowledge of extraterrestrial cultures.

The mysterious Q returns claiming that he has been asked to leave the Q-continuum and that he wishes to join the Enterprise crew. He tells Picard that they need him as a guide because humanity is unprepared for what awaits them. When Picard insists they are, Q hurls the Enterprise several thousand light-years away where they encounter the Borg, a race of cyborgs.

Picard joins Wesley on a trip to Starbase 515. Wesley is going there to take his Starfleet exams, while Picard is going for delicate heart surgery. Meanwhile, the Enterprise receives a distress call from the Pakleds, a race of beings who steal technology.

The Enterprise attempts to rescue two Earth colonies that left Earth in the mid-22nd century. The first colony, has rejected technology and returned back-to-nature. The ship carrying the second colony had apparently crash-landed and only five colonists survived. To keep their colony alive, they turned to cloning but are now in desperate need of new DNA.

The Enterprise is assigned to transport several delegates to a conference on Pacifica. One of the delegates is Troi's mother who is going through a phase that causes her to be very amorous. Lwaxana stuns everyone by deciding she is going to marry Picard. Picard meanwhile, flees to the holodeck and the escapades of Dixon Hill.

An old love of Worf's, Kehleyr, comes aboard the Enterprise to brief the crew on their new mission. A Klingon ship, with a crew in suspended animation, was sent out while the Federation and Klingons were still at war. The mission of the Enterprise is to prevent the crew of that ship from awakening and rekindling an old war.

As part of Federation war games, Riker is placed in command of the U.S.S. Hathaway in simulated combat with the Enterprise. Riker is given his choice of crew and 48 hours to ready the ship before the battle begins. The battle is interrupted however, when a Ferengi ship appears demanding the Hathaway be turned over to them.

While exploring a new planet, Riker is infected by a mysterious disease which prevents neural activity. Pualski finds that the infection is spreading throughout his body and when the infection reaches his brain, he will die.