Chain of Command , Part I ( episode ) Picard , Worf , and Dr . Crusher are reassigned from the " Enterprise " to a secret mission . Meanwhile , the " Enterprise " is under the command of Captain Edward Jellico , who immediately starts making changes , much to the dismay of the crew . Summary . Teaser . The and an ship run side by side at impulse speed . Nechayev beams aboard the " Enterprise " and unceremoniously greets Captain Picard . In her no - nonsense fashion , she informs Picard In his ready room that she is here to relieve him of command of the " Enterprise " . Act One . Nechayev meets with Commander Riker , Lieutenant Commander Data , and Counselor Troi in the observation lounge and briefs them that the Cardassians have mobilized three divisions of ground troops ( having withdrawn the bulk of their forces from the Bajoran sector ) and that their subspace transmissions have increased by 50 % . The admiral hopes that the Cardassians are not willing to risk an incursion and possibly war over one system . When Riker asks about Picard , Necheyev tells him that he is to be replaced by one Captain Edward Jellico , commanding officer of the " Cairo " . Also that their chief medical officer , Dr . Crusher and Security chief , Lieutenant Worf , are also being reassigned to a mission . The change of command will occur at 1300 hours . Since Jellico was instrumental in negotiating the original peace treaty with the Cardassians , Nechayev feels he is uniquely qualified to negotiate with them again . Once Data and Troi leave the observation lounge , Riker reminds the admiral that Jellico can negotiate with the Cardassians without taking command of the " Enterprise " . She tells Riker that she wants someone on the bridge who has significant experience with the Cardassians , and that ' s not him . Picard , Worf , and Crusher are training for their secret mission in the holodeck . They are running a program in a series of dark cave s including exercises such as escaping Cardassians , setting mobile shield emitter s , and other surprises they might run into on the mission . They take turns and try to best each other ' s times . Riker meets Captain Jellico in the transporter room . Riker is immediately overwhelmed by his new commanding officer . Admiring the beauty and prestige of the starship , Jellico surmises that must be why Riker has never accepted his own command . During the short walk to the turbolift , Jellico lists a series of orders including changing the duty shift rotation from three watches to four by 1400 hours and meeting with the department heads at 1500 hours . They arrive at the turbolift , and Jellico asks Riker whether he prefers " Will " or " William . " Riker indicates the former , and Jellico asks where his quarters are . Before Riker can finish his reply , Jellico states the deck number for that room . He departs in the turbolift , leaving Riker befuddled . A ceremony for the Change of Command of the " Enterprise " is held in Ten Forward . The two captains are in full dress uniforms while the rest of the crew are in standard uniforms ( except Troi , who wears her grey unitard ) . Captain Picard reads the transfer orders from Admiral Nechayev and instructs the computer to transfer all command codes to Captain Jellico . The " Enterprise " is now Jellico ' s . Riker meets up with Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge , and the engineer asks Riker how long he thinks this change of command is going to last . Riker tells him that they usually do not perform this ceremony if it is just going to be a temporary assignment . Meanwhile , Troi spots the exhausted Dr . Crusher sitting in a corner and goes over to her . Troi asks her if she is sore . They exchange glances , and the doctor says that she wishes she could talk about the mission but cannot . Picard and Jellico discuss very specific issues on the ship ' s systems . Jellico says that he can handle anything that comes his way . They then discuss the specifics of Picard ' s mission in a somewhat coded fashion . Picard reveals that he wishes he had more current information than the two - year old intelligence reports . Jellico offers to send a Class - 5 probe later , and Picard happily accepts . Jellico calls for Riker and passes the order to launch the probe during delta shift . Riker informs his new commanding officer that the new crew rotation is not yet ready and that the department heads believe it will put too much pressure on their personnel . Jellico orders the new duty roster to be ready immediately and dismisses his first officer . Riker leaves , and Jellico makes his dissatisfaction with Riker clear to Picard , who defends his former first officer . Act Two . Jellico records a log entry : Some time later on the bridge , Jellico , Riker , Data and Garvey stand over the tactical station . Jellico orders several modifications to the terminal and then proceeds to order changes to Science I and II making them Damage Control and Weapons Status . He then orders one battle drill for each of the four shifts . He wants Riker to " get it done " by seeing to it personally . Before leaving on the turbolift with Data , he tells Riker he wants " that fish " out of the ready room . In engineering , Jellico tells La Forge to overhaul the warp coil s , as he finds their performance unsatisfactory . The chief engineer insists that what Jellico is asking will take more than the two days that the captain is giving him . Data , apparently the only crew member with whom Jellico is impressed , calculates that the required actions are possible in the time requested . La Forge agrees but only if the entire engineering staff works around the clock for the two days . Jellico responds with his signature line , " " Get it done . " " Meanwhile , Jellico is redecorating his ready room , " sans " fish . Troi enters , and Jellico shows her a drawing from his son of what he believes to be an elephant . Troi tries to explain the feelings of the crew to him . While recognizing that he and the crew are still getting used to each other , it is clear that Jellico does not feel there is any time for a period of adjustment . He orders Troi to do what she can to have the crew accept the situation . She turns to leave , and Jellico informs her that he likes " a certain formality on the bridge " and would prefer that she wears a standard uniform while on duty . La Forge visits Riker in a corridor and complains . La Forge wants to know how he is expected to get his work done with such a heavy load and with one - third of his staff being reassigned to security . Riker makes it clear to La Forge that Jellico will not listen to him or any of the other department heads . La Forge suggests he try to get Captain Picard , who has not left for his mission yet , to help in persuading Jellico to ease up a little . Riker heeds the engineer ' s advice and leaves to visit Picard . Picard practically stumbles into his quarters , exhausted from the training . He admits to Riker that he has not been this tired since he was training for the Academy Marathon . Riker does not want to bother him and leaves without asking his favor . Picard meets with Captain Jellico in the ready room , and they discuss the mission briefly . Riker calls and informs Jellico that the shuttle is ready for launch . Jellico asks whether he launched the probe as requested . Riker tells him that he has but that he did not know he was supposed to inform his captain about the launch . After the channel closes , Jellico again expresses his disappointment with Riker to Picard and that he sees why Riker is still only a first officer . Picard reminds the other captain that Riker has been offered command several times and that he will find him a very capable officer if given the chance . Jellico tells Picard that he does not have time to do that for Will Riker or anyone else . Jellico reminds Picard that he is in command of the " Enterprise " and that he does not expect Picard to come back from his secret mission into Cardassian territory . He also knows that negotiations with Gul Lemec will not go too smoothly and that neither side will give up anything very easily . He states the " Enterprise " is his . Act Three . Once the members of the commando mission leave the " Enterprise " on the shuttlecraft " " , Picard informs his team of their mission : a secret investigation of the Cardassian planet Celtris III in search of a research facility for metagenic weapon s . Picard studied theta - band carrier waves while on the " Stargazer " . Worf is there for muscle . Crusher is there to locate and destroy any bio - toxins they may find . In order to secure safe passage into Cardassian territory , they enlist the help of DaiMon on the planet Torman V . Picard makes the proposal to him . Solok is worried because Celtris III is in Cardassian territory , and he then accuses the three of being Federation spies . Crusher then begins to charm Solok and even uses " oo - mox " to convince him to provide passage discreetly . Riker tells Captain Jellico that Lemec , commander of the " Reklar " , was beam ed aboard and was escorted to the observation lounge . Jellico then announces that he will be waiting in his ready room , confusing Riker and Troi . Troi , now wearing a standard uniform , enters the ready room and asks Jellico if there has been a miscommunication . He reveals that this is one of his negotiating tactics . Jellico compares Cardassians to timber wolves in that they possess an instinctive need to establish a dominant position in social situations . He is making Lemec wait in order to gain the dominant position . After the counselor reminds him that sometimes a wolf ends up dead in the fight for dominance , Jellico tells her that the trick is to be the wolf that is left standing in the end . After arriving on Celtris III , Picard reminds Crusher to set her tricorder in order to keep a precise map of their route . She then starts picking up subspace signal s , but cannot get a lock on them . By compressing the detection bandwidth , Picard determines that the source of the signal is five hundred meters east and seven hundred meters below their current location . Lynar s , which are Celtran bat s , fly by them , and Worf pretends not to be afraid of them . The team comes to a precipice and needs to descend the rock face to the floor , which is over five hundred meters below . As they prepare their equipment , Worf asks Crusher if she is afraid of heights , and she sarcastically says that she is not . The three of them begin rappelling down the cavern . Act Four . Jellico has been keeping Lemec waiting for over an hour . Also , the fact that he brings Riker and Troi with him to the negotiating table infuriates the Cardassian . Jellico tells him that if he cannot negotiate anything other than minutiae , then maybe he is not serious about these talks . Jellico then storms out of the room and onto the bridge . Riker and Troi follow him , and he almost gleefully shares his plan of attack . Jellico tells Riker and Troi to let Lemec stew for a few minutes and then to tell him that Jellico is a loose cannon , but he has agreed to meet again . They are to explain to Lemec that he needs to be more reasonable since Jellico is such an unreasonable man and that he can include no more than two aides . After Jellico walks away , Riker notes that the captain is very sure of himself . Troi reveals that he is in fact not . On Celtris III , the team has finished rappelling , and they are only three hundred meters away from the installation . Picard leads the way , scanning with his tricorder . They encounter a lava tube that runs for seventy - five meters behind a wall . Worf notes that a phaser set to level 16 should suffice . He then blasts a hole in the wall to reveal the tube . Meanwhile in the " Enterprise " observation lounge , Lemec introduces Captain Jellico to his aides , Glinn s Corak and Tajor . Jellico , along with Riker and Troi , sit at the other end of the table and Jellico accuses the Cardassians of massing troops in staging areas , assembling strike forces , and pulling ships off their normal patrols . Lemec insists they are merely routine training operations . Jellico proposes sending a few starships into the sector for their own training operations . Lemec is more concerned about the Federation ' s refusal to vacate systems that are " clearly Cardassian . " Jellico is very agitated because he believes the Cardassians are seeking to get those worlds at the bargaining table that they could not take by force . Troi calms Jellico , and Riker states to Lemec that under the terms of the treaty those worlds are still under negotiation . Lemec reveals that they have reports that a small Federation task force has infiltrated Cardassian territory . He says that this action will likely fail , and if it were to succeed , there would be serious repercussions . Before they recess , Lemec asks Jellico where Picard is and does so in a way that implies that he already knows . Jellico tells him that Picard has been reassigned . On Celtris III , the team crawls through the lava tube with Crusher bringing up the rear . The two men get out safely , but the doctor is covered by rubble during a cave - in . Worf immediately leaps back into the tube and uncovers Crusher . Shaken but unhurt , they move on . They find a maintenance hatch with three proximity sensor s around it . Worf sets up sensor echo es so that they can make it through without being detected . The hatch is magnetically sealed , but Worf is able to bypass it . They go through the hatch to find a room with only a single device , which has been emitting the theta - band waves . There is no lab . It has been a trap all along . Act Five . Cardassians suddenly attack Picard and the others . The Federation team responds with phaser fire and hand - to - hand combat . Worf blocks the closing hatch so that the others can escape , but Picard is still fighting . Worf is shot , and he falls outside the room while the hatch closes . Picard is captured by four Cardassians and reluctantly drops his weapon . Crusher and Worf realize that they cannot help the captain , and they quickly make their escape . Back on the " Enterprise " , Riker notifies Jellico that there are a lot of coded messages from Celtris III . Also , there had been theta - band emissions until a few minutes ago . Jellico orders Riker to get Admiral Nechayev on a priority 2 channel . He tells her the mission was apparently successful since the theta - band emissions have stopped . She asks Jellico if there has been any word from " our friends , " but there has not been . In a stark , imposing room , an unknown Cardassian , who is later revealed as Gul Madred , tells Picard that he is the most interesting challenge to walk through his door in years . He cites Picard ' s name , Starfleet serial number , parents ' names , and place of birth . Then he states that he knows of Picard ' s extensive experience with theta - band carrier waves while captain of the " Stargazer " . He reveals that this information was used to lure Picard . Picard asks why he was chosen . Madred responds by telling Picard that he is not allowed to ask questions . Only Madred will ask them , and if he is not satisfied with the captain ' s responses , then Picard will die . Memorable quotes . " " May I present Captain Jean - Luc Picard . " " " " Admiral , welcome on board . " " " " Thank you . That ' ll be all , commander . " " " " Can I get you some coffee , tea . . . " " " " Thank you , no captain . I ' m afraid there ' s no time for the usual pleasantries . I ' m here to relieve you of command of the " Enterprise " . " " " " I wonder how permanent this is gonna be . " " " " I don ' t know . They don ' t usually go through the ceremony if it ' s just a temporary assignment . " " " He " was your first officer for five years . . . " " " " One of the finest officers that I have ever served with . " " " " Of course he is , Jean - Luc . I ' m sure it ' ll all work out . . . " " " " Oh . . . and get that fish out of the ready room . " " " " By the way , I prefer a certain . . . formality on the bridge . I ' d appreciate it if you wore a standard uniform when you ' re on duty . " " " " Get it done . " " " " I want this ship ready for action , and I don ' t have time to give Will Riker or anyone else a chance . And forgive me for being blunt , but the " Enterprise " is mine now . " " " " Well , I ' ll say this for him – he ' s sure of himself . " " " " No , he ' s not . " " " " Gul Lemec has arrived . He ' s waiting for you in the observation lounge . " " " " Very good . I ' ll be in my ready room . " " " " It ' s a trap ! " " " " In this room you do not ask questions . I ask them , you answer . If I am not satisfied with your answers , you will die . " " Links and references . References . armistice ; authorization code ; Bajoran sector ; bat ; bridge supportive stations ; ; captain ' s ready room ; Cardassian ; Cardassian Union ; carrier wave ; Celtris III ; Change of Command ; Class 5 probe ; drawing ; duty roster ; duty shift ; elephant ; ; Federation ; Federation - Cardassian Armistice of 2367 ; Federation - Cardassian border ; Ferengi ; " " ; France ; fusing piton ; ; ; glinn ; " " ; granite ; gul ; La Barre ; lava tube ; Livingston ; lynar s ; McDowell ; metagenic weapon ; " Midsummer Night ' s Dream , A " ; Mintakan tapestry ; " oo - mox " ; ; ; radio silence ; Rockwell X - 30 ; Romulan s ; serial number ; ; Starfleet ; Starfleet Academy ; Starfleet Academy marathon ; Starfleet Command ; Starfleet dress uniform ; Starfleet Intelligence ; sunflower ; theta - band ; timber wolf ; Torman V ; tricorder ; turbolift ; Type 7 shuttlecraft ; vice admiral ; warp coil Library computer references . Starship mission status : ; Alderaan ; Alpha Laputa IV ; ; ; ; ; Beta Cygni ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; pulsar ; ; ; Romulan Neutral Zone ; sector ; Sector 21396 ; Sector 21538 ; Sector 22358 ; Sector 22846 ; Sector 22853 ; Sector 23079 ; Starbase 134 ; Starbase 434 ; ; ; ; Vulcan Science Academy ; warp drive ; Unused production references . Zimbata