Picard tells Riker of a distress beacon Starfleet found about a month ago, from the Ficus sector, but with Terran origins. After a little research, they discover the beacon was used by the European Hegemony (a mid-22nd century organization), but find no record of a ship leaving for that sector. Then, unexpectedly, Worf passes out. Pulaski tells Worf that she's found he has the Klingon equivalent to measles, but tells Picard something else, to save Worf's reputation.

Data suggests to Picard that he look for a manifest of whatever's on that ship, and he then finds a record of the S.S.Mariposa, carrying a strange mixture of technology and back-to- nature supplies. When they enter the Ficus sector, they see that the sun is flaring up, and Riker is beamed down to one planet in the system, where life readings have been detected. Later, when the people start beaming up, O'Brien finds they've brought cattle, chickens, and so forth with them.

The Bringloidi leader, Danilo O'Dell, complains to Picard about decisions being made for him. Picard, grumpy, orders the whole lot beamed to a cargo bay to establish themselves there. Problems quickly ensue, capped off when the Bringloidi try to start a fire for cooking in the bay and the computer immediately throws up a force-field. Picard eventually decides there's nothing to do but "bow to the absurd", and starts laughing, while Riker gives Danilo's lovely but sharp-tongued daughter, Brenna, a tour of the ship. Then, Danilo takes Picard by surprise by asking them if they've heard anything from the "other colony."

As Riker romances Brenna, and Danilo learns from Worf how to get alcohol from the food dispensers, the ship arrives at Mariposa, site of the other colony. Upon beaming down, Pulaski (with Riker and Worf) quickly finds that the entire colony consists of clones. Apparently, only five of the original colonists survived when their ship crashed, and turned to cloning to keep the colony alive. Unfortunately, the phenomenon of replicative fading is killing the colony, and Prime Minister Granger asks the Enterprise to share some DNA samples with them. Riker indignantly refuses, but beams down to help repair their machinery.

While there, Riker and Pulaski are stunned and cloned without their knowledge. Later, when they realize this and return to destroy the clones, Picard decides to try to give them new breeding stock: the Bringloidi. Though both sides initially object, claiming it would bring untold changes to each culture, Picard eventually manages to get them to agree-even Brenna.

Highlight Listing:

"Up The Long Ladder" - The crew's rescue of a missing earth colony leads to the discovery of a civilization composed entirely of clones.

Advertising Headline:

THE CREW SEES DOUBLE! A race of clones needs the crew's help for survival.

TV log listing:

Crew discovers clone race on STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION.

Operation SNAFU

When Riker and his team are overpowered in the clone Prime Minister's office, Riker is rendered unconscious by a phaser set to stun. As he is being dragged off-scene, you see him look up at the camera just as he thinks he is out of the shot. (UV)

Editor's Note:

The 4/4/89 Paramount air schedule had this story originally titled "Send In The Clones."

Technical design, graphic design, interactive features, HTML & CGI programming by Andrew Tong. || All materials Copyright © 1987-1995 by their respective authors. || Document created: January 28, 1995 || Last Modified: July 12, 1999