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Sure, technology can make life easier, but when it advances too quickly it can be fraught with peril, or raise questions people aren't ready to answer. For years, Dr. Farallon (Ellen Bry) has been working on an orbiting particle fountain capable of large-scale planetary mining. Even though it isn't quite finished and tested yet, Geordi and the
Enterprise have been sent to determine whether or not it is a more efficient method of mining than the more traditional means. Along with this large-scale invention, Dr. Farallon has also invented helper robots, which she calls "exocomps." A fan of Data's positronic brain, she has given her exocomps artificial intelligence. Turns out she may have given these exocomps a little too much intelligence, because they start acting in ways that look suspiciously like sentient self-preservation. When Geordi and Picard get trapped on the particle fountain as it's about to blow up, Data refuses to sacrifice a potential life form in favor of two proven life forms, even though they are the most important members of the
Enterprise. Some excellent ideas are touched on here, but they're not taken to the extremes (particularly the ability to mass-produce a life form), but the action scenes are well executed.
--Andy Spletzer
From the Back Cover
Geordi (LeVar Burton) is assigned to survey a new mining development with Dr. Farallon (Ellen Bry), the investor of an experimental mining technology. When a power grid malfunctions, Farallon repairs it with an exocomp, a sophisticated robot she created.
Back on the Enterprise, she convinces Picard (Patrick Stewart) to let her use exocomps to repair the mining system. Initially they perform well, but moments before an explosion one becomes unresponsive, miraculously saving itself. Intrigued, Data (Brent Spiner) investigates and discovers that the exocomps are alive!
When a radiation leak traps Picard and Geordi on the mining station, Farallon and the crew want to send the exocomps to save them, but Data questions if they have the right to sacrifice other living creatures to save themselves.
