S4E13 · Devil's Due

The USS Enterprise receives a distress call from Dr. Howard Clarke (Paul Lambert), the leader of a Federation scientific delegation on Ventax II, where the population is in a state of panic, because they are convinced that their world will soon end. After the Enterprise arrives, they rescue Dr. Clarke who brings them up to date: A thousand years ago, according to Ventaxian history, the population entered a Faustian deal with Ardra, their mythology's devil. In exchange for ending wars and restoring the ecological balance, and improving their heavily polluted planet, the population would become the personal slaves of Ardra a thousand years later. As the millennium is about to come to a close, the planet has recently begun experiencing mild earthquakes, as well as seeing images of Ardra in the skies. These were said to be signs of her arrival.

As Captain Picard and Commander Data (Brent Spiner) discuss the matter with the Ventaxian leader, Accost Jared (Marcelo Tubert), a woman appears in the chamber, announcing herself as Ardra. She demonstrates her identity by starting an earthquake at will, and transforming into the Klingon devil Fek'lhr of Gre'Thor. Ardra states that she has come to claim the planet. Picard is instantly suspicious and orders Data to examine the contract that supposedly was signed by Ardra and the leaders of the planet a thousand years earlier. Picard returns to the Enterprise afterwards, and Ardra appears on the bridge, sitting in the Captain's chair. Security Chief Worf (Michael Dorn) is unable to remove her. Data returns just then and confirms the language of the contract as well as Ardra's claim to the planet and anything in its orbit, including the Enterprise.

Later, in a meeting with the senior staff, after speculating if she is Q in disguise or another member of the Q Continuum, Picard expresses his belief that she is a con artist and points out that all of her alleged powers can be recreated with theatrically delivered technology. After the meeting, Picard goes to bed for the evening. As Picard sleeps, Ardra appears and tries to seduce him, but he rejects her. She transports him to the planet dressed in his pajamas. Data comes to collect Picard by shuttle after Worf is unable to transport him back the normal way. When Picard and Data attempt to return to the Enterprise, the ship disappears. Not knowing what to do, they return to the planet.

Citing old legal precedent, Picard calls for a Ventaxian arbitration hearing, to which Ardra agrees, provided Data acts as the arbitrator, as he will act with impartiality. Picard explains to Jared that his people had actually improved their planet by themselves, through their own gradual hard work, ingenuity, and dedication. However, continued demonstrations of powers further the claim that Ardra is indeed who she says she is. During the course of the hearing, Chief Engineer La Forge (LeVar Burton) and Clarke discover that Ardra has a cloaked ship nearby, that she is indeed using technology to simulate magic, and that she is a known criminal.

Picard sends an away team, led by Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes), to take control of Ardra's ship, giving Picard control of her powers. He demonstrates technology-based fraud and she is taken into custody by local authorities. As Ardra has voluntarily withdrawn her suit, Data proclaims that the 1,000-year-old contract is null and void. Now convinced that Ardra is not Ardra from his culture's mythology, Jared thanks Picard for saving him and his people from their doom. Picard however, states that Jared and the Ventaxians have saved themselves a long time ago.