In this episode, Lieutenant Commander Data (Brent Spiner) must convince a reluctant colony of more than 15,000 to prepare for immediate evacuation while Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) attempts to negotiate a three-week reprieve from aliens intent on colonizing the planet themselves in four days and wiping out any humans found there.
Data (Brent Spiner), an android, to the planet to coordinate the evacuation, but the colony's leader Gosheven (Grainger Hines) refuses.
Due to radiation rendering the transporters useless, it will take three weeks to evacuate the planet, but the Sheliak insist on their time limit of three days.
In response, Picard exploits a loophole in the treaty between the Sheliak and the Federation: he demands the dispute be resolved by third-party arbitrators, who will not be available for six months.
Aboard the Enterprise, Picard comments on Data's fusion of two very different musician's styles in a musical performance, as well as his creative approach to convincing the colonists.
[5] This included episodes from "The Ensigns of Command" (also "Evolution") to "A Matter of Perspective" on 12-inch double sided optical discs.