The Outrageous Okona ( episode ) The " Enterprise " crew rescue a " roguish " freighter captain whose ship is malfunctioning , but his presence drags them into an interplanetary feud . Summary . Teaser . The , while traveling in the Omega Sagitta system between two twin planet s inhabited by Human s who have created a pact called the Madena Coalition , stumbles upon a Class 9 starship with one humanoid inside . The ship is the cargo freighter " Erstwhile " commanded by Captain Thadiun Okona , who has problems with the guidance system . The " Enterprise " offers Captain Okona help repairing his faulty guidance system . Deanna Troi establishes that he displays rogue - like characteristics , making him a suspicious character who should not be taken lightly . Act One . Upon entry to the ship , Okona meets Riker , Data , Worf and Crusher and also the transporter chief , Lieutenant Robinson , and begins to display characteristics of a scoundrel and a rake , charming Robinson . While the others observe this , Okona soon leaves the transporter room and he accompanies Data and Wesley to main engineering to observe the repairs to his guidance system . Okona questions Data ' s ability to comprehend humor and other Human characteristics , apparently finding the concept of an emotionless android fascinating . He then goes to spend time with Robinson . Act Two . Data is inspired by Okona ' s questions and insights about humor , and goes to Ten Forward to seek counsel from Guinan regarding his difficulty grasping the concept . Data then travels to the holodeck to view a comedy show by a holographic comedian . Data inquires about a series of comedic acts and performances to further his understanding of comedy . They begin a series of improvisations which include 20th century Jerry Lewis , and continue to examples of stand - up comedy , which Data views at maximum speed . Data then returns to Guinan to try out his new comedy material , but his first attempt fails miserably . His second attempt is abruptly interrupted by a call to the bridge : an unidentified ship is approaching the " Enterprise " . Act Three . Debin , the captain of the ship , warns the " Enterprise " that they are entering their territory . Debin establishes that Okona is , in fact , a rogue who committed crime s on the planet Atlec . While the entire confrontation is occurring , another ship of similar classification is approaching . This ship is commanded by Captain Kushell from the planet Straleb , who also states similar issues relating to Okona . Jean - Luc Picard calls Okona up to the bridge to understand what crimes he has committed . After brief deliberation , Okona hedges his response , stating that he isn ' t aware that he committed any crime on either world . A skeptical Picard asks Debin what crimes has been committed . Debin , infuriated , explains that Okona had impregnated Debin ' s daughter , Yanar . Act Four . Kushell has claimed that Okona stole the national treasure , the Jewel of Thesia . Picard and Okona discuss the matter at hand . If Okona is handed to Debin , the Thesians will use the slight to declare war , while if Picard gives him to the Thesians , the same result will occur . Picard and Okona agree that the only way to resolve the situation is to let Okona continue on the " Erstwhile " and find a place of refuge . After a long talk with Wesley Crusher in engineering , in which it ' s revealed that Okona has become tired of living the nomadic lifestyle and just wants the entire mess surrounding Yanar and the Jewel to be settled , he has made a decision to " take a stand . " Act Five . Okona tells Picard he decided to voluntarily turn himself in . This choice allows Picard to use the " Enterprise " as a neutral meeting place for both parties to settle their claims . The two families are antagonistic towards each other , both claiming that Okona has infringed their laws and both expressing an equally valid claim on the wayward freighter captain . The story unfolds when they discover that Kushell ' s " son " Benzan has actually impregnated Yanar , rather than Okona , and that Okona was the go - between for Yanar and Benzan ' s courtship ( which was disapproved by both families ) . The jewel was stolen to be used in the wedding between Yanar and Benzan , who agree to marriage , and their fathers continue their quarrels in a more light - hearted manner ( this time about the details of the wedding ) as Picard invokes the Prime Directive as an excuse to make a discreet exit from what has now officially become an internal matter of the respective families ' governments . Data and Guinan participate in a comedy show with the holo - comedian . They resolve the issues of Data ' s ability to deliver a joke by giving Data an audience . Unfortunately , Data discovers that the holographic audience is programmed to laugh at " anything " he says or does , regardless of whether or not it ' s actually humorous , and that his delivery is still flawed . Data asks the computer to erase the audience as well as the comic . Guinan assures Data that being able to laugh or to make people laugh is not the final result to becoming Human . Data agrees , but notes that there is nothing more " " uniquely Human . " " Later , on the bridge , the crew sees Okona off . Data inadvertently delivers a joke that causes the bridge crew to break into laughter , but later the crew gets annoyed after Data begins to make bad joke after bad joke , and Okona ( having resolved his differences with the Thesians and Yanar ' s father ) continues on his way . Memorable quotes . " " You spoiled the joke . It could have been your timing . " " " " My timing is digital . " " " " You ' re a droid and I ' m a ' noid . " " " " A Klingon security officer ? " " " " Yes . " " " " No wars available , eh ? " " " " Wesley , Wesley Crusher . " " " " Nice to meet you , Acting Ensign Wesley Wesley Crusher . " " " " You have the majestic carriage and loveliness that could surely be traced back to the noblest of families . " " " " Say goodbye , Data . " " " " Goodbye Data . " " " " Now , " that ' s " sex appeal ! " " " " Captain , they are now locking lasers on us . " " " " Lasers ! ? " " " " Yes , sir . " " " " Lasers can ' t even penetrate our navigation shields . Don ' t they know that ? " " " " Regulations do call for yellow alert . " " " " Hmm , a very old regulation . Well , make it so Number One . And , reduce speed . . . drop main shields , as well . " " " " May I ask why , sir ? " " " " In case we decide to surrender to them , Number One . . . " " " " So . . . if you put funny teeth in your mouth and jump around like an idiot , that is considered funny ! " " " " Guy walks into the doctor ' s office . The doctor tells him you need an operation . Guy says " I want a second opinion . " Doc tells him " Okay you ' re ugly too " . Badoom Boom ! " " Life is like loading twice your cargo weight on to your spacecraft . If it ' s canaries and you can keep half of them flying all the time , you ' re all right . " " " " Take my Worf . . . please ! " " Links and references . References . 1932 ; 2165 ; 2364 ; alcohol ; ; Atlec ; Atlec vessel ; bar ; bastard ; bird call ; bowling ; briefcase ; Burns , George ; call sign ; canary ; cargo carrier ; cargo hold ; Charnock ' s Comedy Cabaret ; cigar ; Class 7 vessel ; Class 9 cargo vessel ; clone ; comedian ; Coalition of Madena ; Denkir II ; dictionary ; dog ; Earth ; " Erstwhile " ; Federation ; Ferengi ; fraction ; gesture ; " glob fly " ; godfather ; Greek ; " Gulliver ' s Travels " ; holodeck ; Human cannonball ; humor ; inertial guidance system ; Irish ; Jew ; Jewel of Thesia ; joke ; juggling ; Klingon ; laser weapon s ; Legation of Unity ; ; lion ; mercy killing ; microphone ; Milky Way Galaxy ; monk ; morality ; mosquito ; navigational shield ; New York City ; number one ; Omega Sagitta system ; procreation ; quantum mechanics ; ; parrot ; pork chop ; prop ; ; ; Roxy Theater ; Saint Peter ; Starfleet Regulations ; Straleb ; Straleb security vessel ; Teaneck ; tricellite ; tritanium ; yellow alert ; zelebium ; ZIP code