The Child ( episode ) Counselor Troi is shocked to find out she is pregnant ; Wesley Crusher is weighing his options for the future , with the help of the mysterious proprietor of the ship ' s lounge , Ten Forward . ( " Season premiere ) Summary . Teaser . The is in the midst of a rendezvous with the . As a " Repulse " shuttle leaves the " Enterprise " s hangar bay , Commander Riker contacts the " Repulse " and says they are on their way . The " Repulse " s command officer acknowledges and asks that Riker give his regards to his captain . Riker then goes to report to Captain Picard ' s ready room , where the ship ' s new chief engineer , Geordi La Forge , explains to both Picard and Riker about the containment module he ' s constructing in one of the ship ' s cargo bay s . The containment module is to hold dangerous specimens of plasma plague that " Enterprise " is going to be transferring for research to the Rachelis system in hopes of developing an antidote . Meanwhile , as " Enterprise " begins to head for Rachelis , an energy pulse enters the ship . The pulse goes through the " Enterprise " s corridor s and crew quarters until it comes across Counselor Troi , asleep in her quarters . She suddenly wakes up as her body is entered by a strange alien entity . Act One . The " Enterprise " also has a new chief medical officer ; Doctor Katherine Pulaski has replaced Doctor Crusher , who has left to head Starfleet Medical . Captain Picard is annoyed when the new doctor fails to check in with him and is surprised when after calling down to sickbay , Picard discovers that Pulaski has already found the ship ' s Ten Forward lounge and he goes there to meet her . He ' s met by Wesley Crusher coming out from a turbolift , who has temporarily remained aboard " Enterprise " and will shortly be joining his mother . Picard apologizes that their mission will delay that reunion , but Wesley says it gives him time to work on some projects . When he admits that leaving the " Enterprise " will be difficult , Picard says service in Starfleet is always like that and it will be part of the life that Wesley is choosing and then is forced to agree when Wesley comments that " Enterprise " isn ' t just any ship . Upon arriving at Ten Forward , Picard is pointed to Pulaski by Guinan . When he arrives at her table , he finds her with Troi and as Picard begins lecturing Pulaski about protocol , she interrupts him and asks him to sit down as he needs to hear what they are talking about . Picard sits down and is informed that Troi is pregnant . Shortly after , in a staff meeting in the observation lounge , Picard briefly introduces Dr . Pulaski to Worf , Data , and Riker , saying they ' ll handle formal introductions later as Riker reaches out to shake her hand . He then announces to the senior staff ( minus La Forge , who has just finished with the construction of the containment module and is restarting " Enterprise " s warp drive ) that Troi is pregnant , which surprises Riker and he says so . Troi says it ' s even more of a surprise for her . Pulaski takes over and then reports on two separate examinations of Troi . The first exam shows the fetus at a rather early stage of development but still rather advanced considering she and Troi believe conception took place eleven hours previous , news which shocks Riker . Pulaski says the news just gets better as a second examination , which took place a few hours later shows that the fetus seems to have gained several weeks of growth . Pulaski says that at that rate , Troi will be ready to give birth in only 36 hours , while the normal Betazoid gestation period is ten months . Riker turns to Troi and , while he doesn ' t mean to sound indelicate , he demands to know who the father is . Troi says that while she slept the night before , something that she can only describe as a presence entered her body . Riker asks Pulaski what the baby is and she says it is a male Human / Betazoid hybrid , exactly as Troi and there is no evidence of any genetic material other than hers . Worf believes that the child represents a threat to the " Enterprise " s security and should be aborted . Data says to Picard that doing so would deprive them of the opportunity to study this new lifeform . Worf says that laboratory analysis should still be possible if there is an abortion . When Riker asks if there would be any risks to Troi in such a procedure , Troi ( who has been hearing the baby ' s heartbeat as the others discuss the situation ) finally speaks to Picard and says that he should do what is necessary to protect " Enterprise " , but that she is going to have this baby . Picard then says the discussion is over . Act Two . Several hours later , the " Enterprise " - D arrives at the ' aucdet IX Federation research station to pick up the samples of deadly plasma plague as well as a medical trustee named Hester Dealt , who will supervise the transfer of plasma plague specimens to " Enterprise " and then later to the Rachelis system . He asks Picard if he can inspect the containment module and explains that while he doesn ' t mean to sound distrustful of Picard ' s crew , it is only that they can ' t make any kind of mistakes with these specimens . Picard agrees but he tells Dealt he wants a complete , detailed manifest of everything he intends to bring aboard the ship . Dealt transports aboard the ship and conducts a painstaking , fourteen hour inspection of the containment module . Until Dealt is assured of zero growth , he will not permit the transfer . Finally , as the pleas from Rachelis grows , the final manifest is received . Picard sends Data to review it with Dr . Pulaski . As Data heads for sickbay , he encounters Troi in a corridor , who has entered labor and asks for Data ' s help . When they arrive in sickbay , Data calls for Worf to bring his security team to sickbay . When Pulaski asks if that ' s necessary , Data says it is per Picard ' s orders . When Pulaski tells Troi that the father is usually present for deliveries that she ' s conducted , Data volunteers to fill in . Pulaski at first refuses , saying Deanna will need a comforting Human touch and not a cold hand of technology , but Troi says Data will do fine . After Worf and his team arrive , Pulaski tells him to stay back and that while she understands the need for them to be there , she insists they stay out from underfoot . As they wait for the birth , Troi tells Data that he doesn ' t need to be nervous , but just be there for her . Data says he ' s not nervous , but intrigued . He then asks Deanna some rapid fire questions about the baby which amuse her but then she interrupts him when labor intensifies . He then calls for Pulaski who comes over and the birthing process begins . Pulaski asks if Troi wants something for the pain , although it won ' t diminish the experience at all . Troi says she has not felt any pain which surprises Pulaski . Then very shortly afterward , the baby is born . Pulaski cleans him off and then hands him to Troi , asking if easy births are the norm for Betazoids and Troi says it ' s not , at least according to her mother . Data thanks Troi for the opportunity to observe the birth and that it was remarkable . Pulaski asks Troi if she has a name and she says he will be named Ian Andrew , after her father . Then Riker ( who came in during the birth ) steps up and tells Troi that the baby is beautiful , just like her . He then bends down and kisses her cheek . Pulaski asks Deanna how she feels and she says she feels wonderful and thanks Pulaski for everything . But after only a few hours , when Pulaski and Picard come to check on Troi , they are shocked to find out that Ian has grown into a young boy , appearing the age of four . Act Three . Data and Dr . Pulaski are performing research on the manifest list in sickbay . It is taking longer than expected to categorize the specimens . It appears a significant number of them are genetically engineered . She deems this an excessive amount of engineering and informs Picard of the danger to the ship . Data then goes to transporter room three , joining Lieutenant Miles O ' Brien , for the transport of the virus . O ' Brien beams it up in batches without incident . Meanwhile , Troi is taking care of Ian . She brings him to play with a litter of puppies in the ship ' s nursery . He ' s quite tactile , according to the officer there , Miss Gladstone . At supper , Picard and Dr . Pulaski check in . Ian , wanting to experience the hot temperature of his soup , inserts his finger , only to be burnt . He then is confused when his face is wet from his subsequent crying . He then implies he knows why he is on the " Enterprise " , but is not ready to articulate it . In Ten Forward , Wesley contemplates his departure from the " Enterprise " , as he was expected to join his mother at Starfleet Medical during her duration there . While doing so , he is observed by new shipmate , Guinan . The two carry on a conversation about his status on the " Enterprise " and what is in his best interest . The " Enterprise " leaves for Rachelis , however , before long the containment module shows a serious malfunction . Act Four . La Forge is having trouble isolating the problem with the containment . One of the specimens is now showing growth . Riker , Data , and Dr . Pulaski all converge on the cargo bay . They cannot release the module or else they will risk the plague growing into a spore until it hits a planet or another ship , which they cannot allow . La Forge is showing all the right environmental settings for the containment , and sensor malfunctions don ' t seem to be the problem . Studying the etiology report for the virus , Dr . Pulaski supposes Eichner radiation could be the reason for the virus ' growth . However , they rule out known sources . Meanwhile , Troi is putting Ian to bed . Ian states that he is the source of the problem and that only he can resolve the situation . Troi realizes he is deciding to die , and calls a medical emergency . Shortly after , Ian passes away in the arms of Troi . Act Five . Dr . Pulaski arrives with Data and Riker to Troi ' s quarters . She verifies Ian ' s death , and Data scans him , determining that he is the source of the radiation . Several minutes later , Ian transforms back to the glowing white light that visited Troi earlier and thanks her for the experience . Troi explains he is a lifeform who was curious about the " Enterprise " crew when passing by , and thought the best way to learn about them was to experience their lives as one of them . The light leaves the ship , and La Forge calls in , saying the containment is stabilized . Troi is left to grieve . The " Enterprise " reaches the science station and begins to transport both Dealt and the virus . Meanwhile , Wesley meets with Picard and requests that he stay on the " Enterprise " . Picard doesn ' t decide right away , feeling that the decision wasn ' t his responsibility alone and that allowing Wesley to remain would create difficulties for all . Picard decides that Data could assume responsibility for Wesley ' s studies . When Riker asks " who will tuck him in at night ? " Worf accepts that responsibility , although Troi expresses confidence that Wes will get his sleep . Picard agrees that the practical is then taken care of but as there ' s much more to growing up than just the practical matters , he then asks Riker if he would be interested in serving in that regard , and Riker agrees . With that taken care of , Picard tells Wesley to communicate with his mother at Starfleet Medical , giving her Picard ' s regards and telling her that Picard has approved Wesley ' s request to stay on " Enterprise " , but that the final decision would be hers . Wesley is grateful and enthusiastically believes that Beverly will agree . Wesley Crusher becomes the regular conn ( helm ) officer on the bridge as La Forge is relocated as chief engineer to the rear of the bridge . Picard orders Ensign Crusher to break the " Enterprise " out of orbit from Science Station Tango Sierra and take the ship to the Morgana Quadrant . Memorable quotes . " " Chief engineer . It still has a nice ring to it . " " " " I don ' t mean to be indelicate . . . but who ' s the father ? " " " " " With all your neural nets , algorithims and heuristics , is there some combination that makes up a circuit for bruised feelings ? " " " " Captain , we have a . . . a malfunction in the containment area . " " " " How serious ? " " " Very . " " " Last night while I slept . . . something , which I can only describe as a presence , entered my body . " " " " A lifeform of unknown origin and intent is breeding right now inside Counselor Troi . " " " " Data . " " ( pronounced " Datt - uh " ) " " Data . " " ( pronounced " Dayt - uh " ) " " Excuse me ? " " " " My name . You pronounced it ' Datt - uh . " ' " " " What ' s the difference ? " " " " One is my name . The other is not . " " " " And who will tuck him in at night ? " " " " Come on , Commander . " " " " I will accept that responsibility . " " Background information . Deleted scenes . Several scene s were filmed but later cut from the episode during editing . These scenes came to light in , when Canadian " Star Trek " collector Cyril " Patchou " Paciullo ( owning workprints of several more " Next Generation " episodes ) uploaded the contents of an early workprint VHS tape of the episode to the internet . Paciullo submitted his tapes to , who in turn brought him into contact with CBS . However , the tape of this episode was discovered far too late for the deleted scenes to be incorporated in the remastered episode , or otherwise be included on the 2012 TNG Season 2 Blu - ray release , as were his tapes of the third season episodes and for inclusion on their 2013 corresponding release . Still , his tapes of the fourth season episodes and were just in time uncovered for the deleted scenes , remastered in high definition , to be incorporated as part of the bonus features " Deleted Scenes " on the later that year released TNG Season 4 Blu - ray set . The tapes , nine in total , were acquired by Paciullo as Lot 77 , estimated at US $ 200 - $ 400 , at the Propworx ' " The official STAR TREK prop and costume auction " of 8 August 2010 for US $ 360 ( including buyer ' s premium ) . Links and references . References . 2294 ; 2295 ; abortion ; algorithm ; Alvacorn Major ; Arneb ; ' aucdet IX ; Betazoid s ; biobed ; ; containment module ; cyanoacrylate s ; " D ' Alison " ; delivery room ; Delovian soufflé ; Denkir IV ; dog ; eager beaver ; Earth ; eichner radiation ; Epsilon Indi ; etiology ; ; Federation ; fetus ; gestation ; heuristic ; ; Hutzel infection ; Legato infection ; litter ; Lorenze Cluster ; Mareuvian tea ; maternity ward ; medical trustee ; " " ; microscope ; Morgana Quadrant ; mutation ; NCC - 7100 ; Nova Kron ; number one ; ; nursery ; Oby VI ( Oby system ) ; pain medication ; plasma plague ; ; Prometheus ; Prometheus nectar ; Rachelis system ; ; saucer separation ; Science Station Tango Sierra ; Shuttlebay 3 ; standard orbit ; ; subspace phase inverter ; ; Starfleet Medical ; Transporter Room Three ; tricorder ; trimester ; Type 7 shuttlecraft ; ;