Captain ' s Holiday ( episode ) Picard takes a much - needed vacation on Risa , but unwelcome events keep interfering with his rest . Summary . Teaser . Two aliens , a male and a female , beam to a resort on the surface of the planet Risa . The female queries the resort ' s computer about the location of Jean - Luc Picard ' s room , only to be informed that he hasn ' t arrived yet . When asked when he will arrive , the computer states it has no reservation on file under that name . While the male wonders about the situation , the female simply states , " " He will come . " " Elsewhere , the is returning from a two - week mission on Gemaris V , where Picard mediated a commercial treaty between two very stubborn participants , the Gemarian s and the Dachlyd s . Counselor Troi was with him , and tells Commander Riker how difficult it was to come up with the agreement . Picard arrives on the bridge , orders the ship to Starbase 12 , and then goes to his ready room . Picard doesn ' t show any joy when Riker congratulates him , so Troi suggests to Riker that what their captain really needs is a vacation . Act One . Doctor Crusher enters Picard ' s ready room as he is working with a stack of PADD s . She tells him that a crew member is working himself too hard and starts listing the symptoms that this crew member is manifesting . As Picard rubs his neck , Crusher mentions that one of the symptoms is muscle spasms , and Picard clues in to what she ' s doing ; she ends up advising him to take a week off . Crusher says she could order Picard to take a vacation , but Picard replies that he knows she won ' t . He defends himself by saying that during the week - long starship maintenance on Starbase 12 he will make use of all the entertainment facilities available . The doctor is not appeased and tells him instead to go to somewhere nice . In the turbolift , Riker hints to Picard that he should take a holiday , but Picard brushes him off . Upon arriving on the bridge , Troi mentions that when the Enterprise arrives at Starbase 12 her mother will be present and is looking forward to catching up with Riker and Picard . Picard asks to speak to Riker privately in his ready room , drawing a brief cheer from Troi ; and asks if everyone on the ship is conspiring together to get him to go on vacation . Riker concedes but notes that two ensign s on deck 39 may not know about the plan . Picard finally gives in and starts planning to vacation somewhere Riker suggested : Risa . Just before Picard leaves Riker asks him to bring back a local souvenir called a Horga ' hn . Picard beams down to Risa and is immediately kiss ed by Vash , a woman he ' s never met . She is eying a Ferengi across the lobby . She claims to have mistaken Picard for someone else and walks off . " " A simple handshake would ' ve sufficed " " , Picard quietly notes . As he walks across the lobby , the two aliens who inquired about Picard staying on Risa watch him intently . Act Two . Picard is reading a book on a deck chair in a public place . A local female valet , Joval , interrupts him while playing hoverball , asking if she could do something for him . Picard , annoyed , replies she is the fifth woman to ask the very same thing that day and tells her that he wants to be left alone . Joval is baffled by Picard ' s behavior as he says to be left alone , yet is also showing the Horga ' hn . Once Picard understands the symbolic implications of the Horga ' hn , Jovan walks away , and Picard is quick to hide the Horga ' hn to avoid further hassles . The same Ferengi from the lobby covertly approaches Picard , telling him it is a big mistake to work with " her " and to ask " her " to return his disk immediately . Picard says that there has to be a mistake because he doesn ' t know what the Ferengi is talking about . The Ferengi orders Picard to talk about the business with him , and Picard replies that a Ferengi order doesn ' t count for him . When the Ferengi angrily replies , Picard stands up and states again that he doesn ' t know this woman or about the disk , and he is on Risa only for vacation . The Ferengi goes away after declaring the disk is his . As Picard returns on the deck chair , Vash arrives . As Vash talks about his encounter with the Ferengi Picard realizes that she is the woman the Ferengi was referring to , and he leaves looking for tranquility . At this very moment the Ferengi returns . Picard starts to move away towards his room , and Vash stealthily hides a disk inside his pocket . When Picard returns in his room he finds the two aliens who were waiting for him before . They tell him they are Vorgon s , and they claim to be a security team from the 27th century . Act Three . The Vorgons are looking for the Tox Uthat , an artifact built in 27th century that is sought after by criminals and was hidden somewhere nearby in this time . Picard says he knows about the legend , and the Vorgons respond that history in the future indicates that Picard will find the Tox Uthat while he is on the planet . Picard says that he hasn ' t found the artifact yet , and the Vorgons want to know what will happen if he does . Picard simply states that he knows it belongs in the future , and the Vorgons transport out of his room . Just as the Vorgons leave Picard reaches into his pocket and finds the disk . Picard arrives at Vash ' s door while she ' s cleaning up a huge mess . She says that Sovak , the Ferengi , has taken to rifling through her room looking for the disk every once in a while . Picard shows her the disk and speculates it has something to do with the Tox Uthat . She is surprised , replying that the last thing she needs is a business partner . She tells Picard that she was an assistant to professor Samuel Estragon for the last 5 years . He was a researcher who spent half his life looking for the Tox Uthat . The disk contains new data and maps on the Tox Uthat ' s position . She admits that the Ferengi also sometimes worked with the professor , and now it is difficult for her to search for the artifact without Sovak noticing . Picard proposes to go after the Tox Uthat , but she wants to come as only she knows how do decode data on the disk . Picard accepts the proposal . Sovak , brandishing a pistol , stops Picard and Vash just as they ' re leaving the hotel . Picard asks whether he is aware that weapons are prohibited on Risa , but Sovak just demands the disk again and threatens to kill Picard . Sovak reveals that he paid Vash to steal the disk but she betrayed him and used his money to travel to Risa . Vash denies this and Sovak calls her a " " perfect mate for a Ferengi " " – greedy and unscrupulous . Picard declares himself quite annoyed , and Sovak says if that is so , he might as well kill Picard and then take the disk . Vash objects , saying she ' ll give him what he wants , and throws her large pack into Sovak ' s arms . While Sovak is off balance Picard seizes the pistol and knocks him out with a punch in the face . Act Four . Vash and Picard enter the cave that Vash says is the place they ' ve been looking for . Halfway into the journey they decide to camp for the night . Vash reveals she hasn ' t been completely truthful with him , which doesn ' t come as a surprise to Picard . Sovak indeed paid her for the disk and she used the money to reach Risa . Picard notices how a woman who beats a Ferengi at his own game bears watching . Vash states that this adventure is more suitable for Picard than the boring vacation he had originally planned . He does admit that he is enjoying this . After talking about how the two met and how they are similar they exchange a kiss . Vash asks if he still thinks she is trouble and he replies that she surely is . The next day Vash and Picard arrive where the Tox Uthat is hidden . Due to the composition of the rock in the cave Vash can ' t get a good reading on her tricorder . Picard pulls two shovels out of his pack and advises Vash to start digging . As they prepare to begin digging the Vorgons materialize on a ledge above the pit saying they just want to watch Picard discover the Uthat . Vash is furious that Picard didn ' t tell her about them . Immediately after that Sovak appears with a rifle . He followed Vash and Picard thanks to a half burned copy of the disk found in Vash ' s room . Sovak orders Picard and Vash to start digging . Picard and Vash dig a large pit . Eventually Picard throws down his shovel and gives up after it becomes apparent that there is nothing there . Vash notes that they should have found the Tox Uthat hours ago . It seems to Picard that the professor was wrong with his data , even if he did seem to have incontrovertible evidence . The Vorgons notice that this is very strange and they disappear . Sovak , panicked , hurries to dig himself as Picard and Vash exit the cave . Upon returning to the resort , Vash tells Picard that she wants to be alone for some time . Picard returns to his room and Riker contacts him . He advises the captain that the Enterprise is in orbit and ready to beam him back . Picard asks him to wait a little while but stand ready to activate Transporter Code 14 . Vash is about to leave when Picard calls to her from a table . She claims to be on her way to say goodbye to Picard . Picard asks where she ' s hidden the Tox Uthat . Picard tells her that if she really wanted to keep Sovak from finding the cave she would have completely destroyed the duplicate disk . He tells her she wanted Sovak to follow them to convince him that the Tox Uthat could not be found . In reality she recovered the Tox Uthat as soon as she arrived on Risa . Vash concedes that this is true , and opens the head of a Horga ' hn she ' s carrying to reveal a large gemstone . As Picard picks it up the Vorgons appear . Vash claims that the professor ' s notes stated that two Vorgons initially tried to steal the Tox Uthat . Picard asks the Vorgons to prove their identity , and one of them draws a pistol . Vash tries to take the Tox Uthat and the Vorgon stuns her . Picard then tells the Enterprise to initiate code 14 with a two - second delay , then drops the Tox Uthat and runs . The Tox Uthat explodes , and the Vorgons say that Picard ' s real destiny was to destroy it ; a destiny he has fulfilled . They transport away , and Picard seems to take care of Vash . Act Five . Picard prepares to leave the planet . Vash asks if there might be an available position for an archeologist on the Enterprise . Picard thinks for a moment , and then comments that he doesn ' t believe that life on a starship would suit Vash . Vash then says she next plans to explore ruins on Sarthong V , and Picard angrily reminds her what the inhabitants ( Sarthongians ) do to trespasser s . She claims his outburst means that he does care about her , and they share a kiss . Picard says that since the Vorgons now know where and when to look for the Uthat they may have to meet and do this all over again . Picard , now back in uniform , returns to the " Enterprise " s bridge and is welcomed back by Riker , who informs him that the repairs have been made and that the ship is now in a splendid condition . Picard tells Riker that they need to have a chat about the Horga ' hn . Troi asks him whether he had a good time on Risa . Picard turns , thinks for a moment , smiles slightly and says " uh - huh . " Riker grins and says " I knew he ' d have a great time ! " . Memorable quotes . " " Our Captain needs a vacation . " " " " So , have you decided where you ' re going yet ? " " " " Yes , I have , Number One . Bridge ! " " " " The place is called Risa and believe me , Captain , it is a paradise . Warm tropical breezes , exotic foods , nothing to do but sit around all day , enjoy the quiet and then . . . " " ( Together ) " " the women . " " " " Have I mentioned how ' imaginative ' the Risian women are , Captain ? " " " " Too often , Commander . " " " " The horga ' hn is the Risian symbol of sexuality . To own one is to call forth its powers . To display it is to announce you are seeking jamaharon . " " " " Riker . " " " " Do you seek jamaharon ? " " " " I don ' t even know what it means . " " " " From the moment I met you , I knew you were going to be trouble . " " " " You look like a man who could handle trouble . " " " " The more difficult the task , the sweeter the victory . " " " " A simple handshake would have sufficed . " " " " So ! The betrayer is herself betrayed ! " " " " You ' re becoming " quite " annoying , Sovak . " " " " Look , I don ' t mean to appear rude , but I am not seeking jamaharon . " " " " All right . But you really should try it some time . " " " " If I ' try it ' , it will be at a time of my own choosing . " " " " Fair enough . It ' s not like I was going to help you find it . " " " " I prefer to be acquainted with the women that I kiss . " " " " The horga ' hn is for a friend . " " " " I see . Someone close to you . " " " " That ' s right . " " " " Someone you love . " " " " I wouldn ' t go that far . " " " " Was it a relaxing trip , Captain ? " " " " Uh - huh . " " " " I knew he ' d have a great time . " " Links and references . References . 22nd century ; 27th century ; 2361 ; Achrady VII ; Andorian s ; Antican ; archaeology ; astrophysics ; Astrophysics Center ; Dachlyd s ; Dano , Kal ; Daystrom Institute ; deck 39 ; Deck 39 ensigns ; deuterium tank ; ; ethics ; " Ethics , Sophistry and the Alternate Universe " ; Federation ; Gemarian s ; Gemaris V ; holodeck ; " Horga ' hn " ; hotel ; hoverball ; Icor IX ; " jamaharon " ; ; kilometer ; kiss ; ; lobby ; massage ; meter ; Picard interrupters ; resort ; Risa ; Risian s ; rogue star cluster ; Sarthong V ; Sarthongian s ; sextant ; shore leave ; Starbase 12 ; Starithium ; stellar cluster ; swimming ; symposium ; " Tox Uthat " ; Transporter Code 14 ; trespassing ; ; " Ulysses " ; Vorgon s ; Zytchin III