Unification I ( episode ) To the Federation ' s surprise , Ambassador Spock has traveled to Romulus . Fearing he has defected , they send Captain Picard and some of his officers on a covert mission to determine why . Summary . Teaser . The has had a terraforming mission on Doraf I cancelled and has been recalled to Starbase 234 by Fleet Admiral Brackett who is unwilling to discuss the matter over subspace . Meeting with Captain Picard in his ready room , she advises him that one of the Federation ' s most prestigious and celebrated Ambassador s and an advisor to Federation leaders for generations had suddenly disappeared without a trace , and that intelligence suggests that he is currently on the planet Romulus . The trip was unauthorized , and there are serious worries that he has defected . If so , the potential damage to Federation security would be devastating . She shows Picard an image taken on Romulus on his desktop monitor that clearly shows the face of the missing ambassador – Spock . Act One . The " Enterprise " arrives at the planet . In the observation lounge , Picard and Commander Riker discuss debris recovered from a crashed Ferengi vessel that appears to be Vulcan in origin . The debris has been sent to Vulcan for further analysis . Riker will be assisting the forensic team studying the pieces . Sarek ' s wife Perrin joins Picard for mint tea . Sarek is known to be very ill , suffering from the effects of Bendii Syndrome . Perrin tells Picard that Spock couldn ' t have been abducted , as he tidied up his affairs before his disappearance , and then relates that there has been a rift in the relationship between Sarek and Spock over the Federation - Cardassian War . Sarek is now wasting away in bed and wants nothing more than to heal the rift between himself and his son before it ' s too late . In a cargo bay , Riker and Lieutenant Commander La Forge examine the pieces of debris that were recovered from the Ferengi vessel that crashed in a Hanolin asteroid belt . The material dentarium is detected in the debris , confirming that their origin is Vulcan . Picard goes to the planet and enters Sarek ' s room . Sarek is in bed and restless – shouting and ranting and he doesn ' t initially recognize or even acknowledge Picard . Picard asks him about Spock , and he suddenly calms and becomes more lucid . He finally recognizes Picard , who asks if he would know why Spock would be on Romulus . Sarek says possibly to meet with Pardek , a Romulan Senator whom Spock met at the Khitomer Conference decades ago . Picard asks if Spock may have defected , but Sarek responds , " " Never ! " " Sarek soon becomes confused again , and in his ramblings recalls that when he was a child Spock would disappear into the mountains for days refusing to tell anyone what he was doing there and would endure punishments silently before immediately returning ; Sarek then confesses that secretly , he was proud of his son ' s unyielding spirit . Picard reminds Sarek that they have a part of each other , and he knows Sarek loves Spock despite all the pain he ' s caused . Sarek struggles to give Picard a message to take to his son : " " Live long and prosper . " " Act Two . The " Enterprise " is en route to Qo ' noS to request a ship from Chancellor Gowron that has cloaking capability . They hail Gowron for three days and receive no response . Worf explains that the messages are likely being ignored because " Gowron has been re - writing Klingon history " , claiming that it was his genius that ended the civil war , without a word about the help of the Federation , to which Riker adds that the arrival of the " Enterprise " may be an uncomfortable reminder of the facts . Picard suggests that Lieutenant Worf try to contact K ' Tal of the Klingon High Council instead . Data shows Picard a Barolian visual identification of Pardek taken at trade negotiation four years ago . Picard compares the image to the one with Spock in it on Romulus and finds that the man with Spock is indeed Pardek . Data tells Picard that Pardek has been a senator for nine decades and is considered a radical by the Romulan Senate as he is a known advocate for peace . Data adds that he lives in the Krocton Segment on Romulus . The " Enterprise " is hailed from Qo ' noS . It is B ' iJik , the Junior Adjutant to the Diplomatic Delegation . He advises Picard that Gowron is too busy to meet with him . Picard is incensed . He diplomatically threatens Gowron through B ' iJik , implying that if Gowron doesn ' t grant his request , he will request a ship from one of Gowron ' s rival factions , and playing to Gowron ' s vanity as well . B ' iJik promises to give the message to Gowron . Later in sickbay , Doctor Crusher is examining Commander Data ' s head in preparation for the prosthetic ears he will be wearing for his mission to Romulus . She tells Data and Picard that they still need to meet with Mr . Mot to be fitted for their hairpieces . La Forge has determined that the debris found on the Ferengi vessel is part of the deflector array from the Vulcan ship " " . This ship was decommissioned and sent to Qualor II as scrap . Riker suggests that they take the " Enterprise " to Qualor II and continue their investigation , and Picard agrees . Worf calls in to tell Picard that a Klingon ship has just decloaked off the " Enterprise " s port bow , compliments of Gowron . Picard and Data go aboard the Klingon vessel and proceed toward Romulus while the " Enterprise " goes the other direction toward Qualor II . Act Three . Captain K ' Vada shows Picard and Data to quarters on the ship . K ' Vada prods them with conditions on the ship , saying they have to share a room , eat Klingon food and get used to the hard bed . Picard takes it in stride . On the intercom , he ' s informed they have crossed the Neutral Zone . He confirms with Picard that he intends to continue , then orders the ship to cloak . Stardate 45240 . 6 . Riker takes the " Enterprise " to the Zakdorn - operated Surplus Depot Z - 15 , a Federation scrap yard for decommissioned ships . They contact the quartermaster of the depot , a Zakdorn named Klim Dokachin , who is less than helpful . Riker invites him on board and has Troi try to persuade him to assist them in finding out the whereabouts of the remainder of the " T ' Pau " . He agrees and the " Enterprise " goes to the coordinates of the " T ' Pau " . To the quartermaster ' s shock , the ship is gone . Dokachin says that the deflector array was sent to the , a holding vessel on the outer rim of the shipyard . They go to that location and find it , too , is missing . The quartermaster informs them that there is a transport of deuterium storage tanks to the " Tripoli " scheduled in two hours . Riker orders the ship to be moved away and powered down with the exception of sensor s and life support . They lie in wait to see what will happen when the transport is initiated . Act Four . Picard and Data see that there is one bunk , obviously for one person , which probably amuses the Klingons . Picard lies down to sleep as Data does not need to lie down . He stands nearby calculating how he should behave when undercover as a Romulan . He makes Picard nervous and unable to sleep . Their interplay and dialogue is very humorous , with Data staring in Picard ' s direction ( not at Picard , he clarifies to the Captain when asked ) as he lies on the bunk making the Captain feel uncomfortable . Just as Picard gets up , they are called to the bridge , where Captain K ' Vada hands him a PADD containing a subspace message he monitored that he believes Picard will find interesting . Picard reads , and sadly tells Data the news it contains . . . Sarek has died . On the " Enterprise " , a ship is approaching at warp speed . It stops at the coordinates 12 Delta 4 – the previous position of the " Tripoli " . The small combat vessel is heavily armed and receives the scheduled transport . Riker powers up all systems and hails the ship , ordering them to identify themselves . The ship turns to intercept and fires phaser s at the " Enterprise " . Riker orders Worf to return fire , targeting only the weapon systems and using only a . 75 power burst with the phasers just to " get their attention . " The ship is hit and takes damage to their forward shields . La Forge details a more through assessment with collateral damage in the cargo bay and a destroyed phaser array . However he also reads massive power fluctuations and internal explosions ; and concludes that with all the armament on board , the ship will blow . No sooner from that assessment , the cargo ship explodes in front of the bridge crew ' s eyes . Act Five . Data and Picard are in costume and prosthetic makeup looking just like Romulans . Data observes that Picard has been unusually pensive since learning of Sarek ' s death . Picard attempts to explain to Data the effect that Sarek ' s death has had on him , and how the mission has taken on a more personal nature as it is left to him to deliver the news to Spock . Data assumes that , as a Vulcan , Spock will simply accept Sarek ' s death as the logical conclusion of his illness but Picard disagrees , telling the android it is never that simple especially as Spock is half - Human and now his chance to reconcile with his father is gone . Data notes how illogical it is that , given the naturally long lifespan of Vulcans , Spock and Sarek never chose to resolve their differences . Picard notes that Spock and Sarek were a lot alike in their stubbornness and pride , constantly building emotional barriers that were hard to bring down . . . and now Spock will have to face the knowledge that it is too late to begin building bridges again . They beam down to Romulus after K ' Vada tells them that he won ' t rescue them if anything goes wrong . On Romulus , Senator Pardek arrives at proconsul Neral ' s office and is asked if he knows of Jean - Luc Picard . He says he does not and is told that Picard is on his way to Romulus . They decide to alert security to be watchful for him . Picard and Data are on the street where the images of Pardek and Spock were standing . They locate the office of an intercessor ( lawyer ) who is likely related to Pardek . They decide to get some food and wait for him to arrive . At a nearby restaurant , they notice two Romulans in military uniform just before Pardek comes down the street . They turn toward Pardek and the uniformed Romulans stop them and escort them out . Data and Picard are taken to an underground chamber . Pardek walks in behind them and says , " " Welcome to Romulus , Captain Picard . " " The military men were his assistants in disguise . Picard explains that he is on an urgent mission from the Federation . He is looking for Ambassador Spock . " " Indeed , " " says a voice from deeper within the cavern . " " You have found him , Captain Picard . " " Spock emerges from the shadows . TO BE CONTINUED . . . Memorable quotes . " " How well do you know Spock ? " " " " I only met him once . And of course , from my mind - meld with Sarek . " " " " I imagine that covers a lot of ground . " " " " Not as much as you might think , Number One . Sometimes . . . well , fathers and sons . . . " " " " Understood . " " " " The man is dying . And it ' s my " honor " to tell him that his son may have betrayed the Federation . " " " " Sarek , you will listen ! " " " " Go from me ! ! " " " " Picard is here . " " " " No more chaos ! ! No more . " " " " I will leave you alone with him . He will either acknowledge you , or he won ' t . " " " " Sarek , I have come a long way to see you . " " " " I will not answer ! ! " " " " I must talk to you about your son . " " " " I wish no one with me ! ! " " " " About Spock . " " " " I never knew what Spock was doing . When he was a boy , he would disappear for days into the mountains . I asked him where he had gone , what he had done , he refused to tell me . I insisted that he tell me . He would not . I forbade him to go . He ignored me . I punished him . He endured it , silently . But always he returned to the mountains . One might as well ask the river not to run . But secretly I admired him , the proud core of him that would not yield . " " " " The only benefit to the Klingon Empire would be our gratitude . " " " " That is what you want me to tell him ? " " " " Yes . And please add that if he is unable to provide us with a ship , then I am sure there are others in the Klingon Empire who would be willing to help me . And then . . . " they " would have our gratitude . " " " ( Long pause ) " " " I see . " " " " Also , please tell Gowron that I am " immensely " gratified that he is prospering so well . A tribute to his skilled leadership . " " " " He probably figures that we don ' t get to see a lot of handsome women out this way , and someone like you might get a little more cooperation out of me . " " [ pause ] " " He ' s probably right . " " " " Sarek is dead . " " " " These quarters were obviously intended for one crewman , sir . There is but a single sleeping space . " " " " I ' m sure the Klingons found it amusing to put us in here together . " " " " Since I do not require sleep , I propose you take the . . . shelf , sir , I am content to stand . " " " " Be careful , android . Some Romulan beauty might take a liking to you . Lick that paint right off your ears . " " " " Perhaps you should appear to enjoy your soup , sir . " " " " I have come on an urgent mission from the Federation . I ' m looking for Ambassador Spock . " " " " Indeed . You have found him , Captain Picard . " " Links and references . References . 2278 ; 2364 ; adjutant ; advisor ; ; Arbiter of Succession ; " As You Like It " ; Barolian ; cafe ; contraband ; debris ; deuterium storage tank ; district ; Doraf I ; ear ; Federation ; Federation - Cardassian War ; Ferengi ; Ferengi cargo ship ; fleet admiral ; " gagh " ; Gowron ; Hanolin asteroid belt ; inflection ; intelligence scan ; jigsaw puzzle ; " jolan tru " ; junior adjutant ; K ' Tal ; Khitomer ; Khitomer Conference ; Klingon s ; Klingonese ; Klingon Bird - of - Prey ; Klingon Civil War ; Klingon Empire ; Klingon High Council ; Klingon history ; Krocton Segment ; K ' Vada ' s Bird - of - Prey ; legal intercessor ; Mahl ' kom group ; metallurgical analysis ; mind meld ; ; mint tea ; molecular pattern trace ; Mot ; navigational deflector array ; NSP ; number one ; phaser array ; proconsul ; Qo ' noS ; Qualor II ; Qualor II Depot Z15 Inventory Database ; quartermaster ; Rateg ; red alert ; reform ; Romulan ; Romulan Neutral Zone ; Romulan Security ; Romulan Senate ; Romulan underground movement ; Romulus ; senator ; skin pigmentation ; sponsor ; Starbase 234 ; Surplus Depot Z15 ; tailor ; terraforming ; " " ; ; unnamed Apollo class starships ; Vulcan ; Vulcan ( planet ) ; Vulcan National Merchant Fleet ; weapons array ; Zakdorn